How to Share a Folder on a Network in Windows

Sharing a folder in Windows lets anyone on your network access its contents without needing to physically be at your machine. It’s useful for sharing documents between PCs at home, giving colleagues access to files at work, or making a folder accessible from a laptop and a desktop. Here’s how to set it up step by step.

Before You Start

• Both PCs must be on the same network (same router — not one on the main WiFi and one on a guest network).
• The PC sharing the folder must be switched on for others to access it.
• This guide covers basic Windows file sharing — for sharing folders from a Windows Server, see our guide: How to Manage Shared Folders on Windows Server.

Step 1: Enable Network Discovery and File Sharing

1. Go to Settings > Network & internet.
2. Click your active connection type (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
3. Make sure Network profile type is set to Private.
4. Go back to Network & internet, then click Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings.
5. Under Private networks, turn on both Network discovery and File and printer sharing.

Step 2: Share the Folder

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder you want to share.
2. Right-click the folder and select Properties.
3. Click the Sharing tab.
4. Click Share…
5. In the dropdown, select Everyone (for open access) or type a specific username if you want to restrict access.
6. Click Add, then set the permission level — Read (view only) or Read/Write (can also edit and delete files).
7. Click Share, then Done.

Make a note of the network path shown (e.g. \\DESKTOP-ABC123\SharedDocs) — you’ll need this to connect from another PC.

Step 3: Access the Shared Folder from Another PC

1. On the other PC, open File Explorer.
2. In the address bar at the top, type the network path from Step 2 (e.g. \\DESKTOP-ABC123\SharedDocs) and press Enter.
3. If prompted, enter the username and password for the sharing PC.

Alternatively, click Network in the left panel of File Explorer — the sharing PC should appear here if network discovery is on.

Map It as a Network Drive for Easy Access

If you access the folder regularly, map it as a network drive so it appears in File Explorer like a local drive:

1. Open File Explorer, click This PC in the left panel.
2. Click the three-dot menu at the top and select Map network drive.
3. Choose a drive letter (e.g. Z:) and enter the folder path.
4. Tick Reconnect at sign-in so it connects automatically every time you log in.
5. Click Finish.

Troubleshooting: Can’t Access the Shared Folder

Access denied

Go to Advanced sharing settings > All Networks and turn on Turn off password protected sharing. This lets anyone on the network access shared folders without needing a password. For a home network this is usually fine; for an office, set up matching user accounts on both PCs instead.

PC not visible in File Explorer Network

• Make sure both PCs have network discovery turned on.
• Check that both are on the same subnet (both IPs should start with the same three numbers).
• Try accessing by IP address directly: \\192.168.1.50\SharedDocs

Sharing stops working after a Windows update

Windows updates occasionally reset sharing settings. Re-enable network discovery and file sharing using Step 1 if this happens.

Related Guides

• How to Find Your IP Address on Windows
• How to Find a Device’s IP Address on Your Network
• How to Share a Printer on a Network