This post shows students and new users how to enable or turn on Network Discovery and Files Sharing in Windows 11.
Included in Windows 11 is an improved Network Discovery, a feature that allows Windows computers to find and discover other computers and devices on a network. The discovery feature is automatically turned on when connected to a private network, like your home or workplace.
Public networks like guest Wi-Fi or networks that are not trusted are turned off so that other machines are not automatically discovering your devices.
In some instances, Network Discovery is disabled in private networks as well and won’t automatically allow other machines to be discovered. If that’s the case and you wish to enable it, the steps below should help you.
To get started with turning Network Discovery in Windows on or off, follow the steps below:
Enable Network Discovery in Windows 11
If your Windows devices cannot see or discover each other on your private Network, it might likely be that Network Discovery is disabled.
To enable Network Discovery, continue below.
Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. Everything can be done, from system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows from its System Settings pane.
To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings, as shown in the image below:
Alternatively, you can use the search box on the taskbar and search for Settings. Then select to open it.
Windows Settings pane should look similar to the image below. In Windows Settings, click Network & internet, then select Ethernet on the right pane of your screen shown in the image below.
In the Ethernet settings pane, under Network profile type, choose Private. This profile will allow devices in your Network to be discovered. This profile should also be selected if you need file sharing or use apps that communicate over this Network.
The private profile is suitable for homes, workplaces, and trusted networks.
If you have other networks like Wi-Fi (if you’re connected to a wireless network) or Ethernet (if you’re connected to a network using a network cable), you can also set the profile type to Private.
When you’re done, exit and network discovery should be enabled.
Turn on Public Folder Sharing in Windows 11
Use the steps below to set up file sharing.
Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. Everything can be done, from system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows from its System Settings pane.
However, changing the account username is still done in the old Control Panel. To get to Control Panel, you can click on Start and start typing Control Panel as shown in the image below:
In the Control Panel, select Network and Internet, as highlighted in the image below.
Select Network and Sharing Center on the next page, as highlighted below.
Next, select Change advanced sharing settings as highlighted below.
Select Private (current profile) and Turn on File and printer sharing in the Advanced sharing center.
Save your changes and exit.
On the same Advance sharing options page, scroll down All networks.
You should see settings for Public folder sharing, Media streaming, File sharing connections, and Password protected sharing there. Windows should automatically turn on File and printer sharing in private networks. However, in some instances, this will not be enabled.
If you can not automatically find printers and shared resources in your private Network, then the File sharing option may be disabled.
If you enable password-protected sharing, only people with accounts on the local computer or in the domain environment can access shared files and printers.
Make your changes and save, then exit.
Turn on File Sharing from Command Line
The settings above can easily be done using the commands below as administrator.
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=Yes netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=Yes
It would be best to open the command prompt as administrator to run the above commands.
Update:
A commenter mentioned below to enable SMB 1.0 / CIFS File Sharing support in the Control Panel, under Programs and Features ==> Turn Windows features on or off.
Below is how to enable additional features in Windows 11.
Turn Windows features On or Off in Windows 11
Conclusion:
This post showed you how to enable Network Discovery, File, and printer sharing in Windows 11. If you find any error above, please use the form below to report.
I have scoured the internet to find a solution to my sharing problem, anywhere from the instructions on your post here to ones involving Windows Feature settings, Windows Services settings, Advance Sharing settings, Network Connections Adapter settings, etc. And still my new Windows 11 pc won’t read the files on my other pc, a Windows 10. The Windows 10 WILL read the W11 pc and its files. The W11 will see the W10 pc but can’t see its files. Trust me, I have done everything I’ve read and seen to establish proper file sharing, but to no avail. Do you have any obscure tips that could help me? If you need a long list of links that provide how-to instructions that haven’t helped so far, let me know. I’ll copy/paste every single dang one of them. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer a highly frustrated new W11 pc owner.
sneakernet still rules
sure, same with my Pc, still wont read local network with win 10 installed, really frustrasing
Sometimes it might be due to the sharing services.
a). Press the Windows logo key + “R”
b). In the Run dialog box, type “service.msc” and the select “ok”
c). Right-click on each of the following services (Function Discovery Provider Host, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery & UPnP Device Host) and select “Properties”. If by default the service is not running, select “Start” and next to “Startup type” select the “Automatic” option.
Hello, I just follow all these instructions and the only difference was that after turning on all services to automatic, it shows up for like less than 5 seconds, I change the path and when come back the share was not there anymore. When back to the services and they all were still on automatic, double check all other settings and they were saved like before, but not showing my shares files continue been a problem. Well at least I was happy for 5 seconds or less. What the hell is going on? NO IDEA. Jejejeeje
netsh is deprecated in windows 11:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/technologies/netsh/netsh
Same problem did u find a solution?
i cant imagine what developer is thinking? nowaday we are talking about user friendly and easier user interface. imagine u bout a newly device smartphone smart watch or what ever smart….. how the microsoft with gigantic group of intelligent programer still look noooobs
I have the same problem.
Details:
Error code: 0x80070035
The network path not found.
Same problem with me too. my windows10 could find all the pcs on my network but windows 11 just won’t do it. Despite doing everything right over and over again. One of the pcs on my network only appeared on the win 11 briefly and after it disappeared. I give up. got better things to do.
i get a windows error https://go.microsfot.com/fwlink/?linkid=852747 when i try to map a server drive on the network