How to Enable or Disable Sharing Host Folders with Windows Sandbox in Windows 11

Turn on or off the Share folder with Sandbox feature on Windows

Folders can be shared with the Windows sandbox environment using the improved client.

Enabling or disabling this capability involves the steps outlined below.

First, open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc). Searching for “Edit group policy” on the Start menu ⊞ works too.

Then, navigate the following path:

Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Sandbox

In the Group Policy details pane on the right, locate and double-click the “Allow mapping folders into Windows Sandbox” setting.

On the “Allow mapping folders into Windows Sandbox” window, set the option to Not Configured, Enabled, or Disabled.

• Not Configured (default)
• Enabled  – Mapping folders from the host into Sandbox will be permitted.
• Disabled – Mapping folders from the host into Sandbox will not be permitted.

Sandbox can also write to a mapped folder after selecting the relevant options underneath.

Click OK to save changes. Rebooting your device applies the new configuration.

Enable or disable the Sandbox folder-sharing feature using the Windows Registry Editor

Another way to enable or disable the Sandbox sharing feature involves using the Windows Registry editor.

First, open the Windows Registry editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to the following folder key path.

ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsSandbox

Next, double-click the two REG_DWORD values (32-bit registry entries that store numerical settings) in the right pane under the Sandbox key.

AllowMappedFolders
AllowWriteToMappedFolders

Entering a value of 0 for both disables the Sandbox folder-sharing feature in Windows.

Right-clicking a blank area to create a new DWORD (32-bit) registry item for each works if the two items remain hidden.

Then, entering a value of 0 for both disables folder sharing.

Deleting both items created above restores the default behavior and allows Sandbox folder sharing with the host.

AllowMappedFolders
AllowWriteToMappedFolders

Save changes and restart your computer to apply them.

Managing folder sharing in Windows Sandbox ultimately comes down to adjusting group policies or tweaking the registry.

Conclusion:

• Enabling or disabling the Windows Sandbox host-sharing feature in Windows 11 requires modifying group policy settings through the Local Group Policy Editor or registry settings via the Windows Registry Editor.
• Users can choose to allow or disallow mapping folders into Windows Sandbox, as well as the ability for Sandbox to write to a mapped folder, providing control over the extent of folder-sharing functionality.
• It is important to reboot the device after making changes in the group policy settings for them to take effect, while modifications in the registry settings also necessitate a computer restart.
• These methods allow users to manage shared folders' security and access control within the Windows Sandbox environment, contributing to a more secure and customized user experience.