How to Create Shared Folders in Windows 11

Sharing folders in Windows 11 lets you give other people on your home or office network access to your files. This guide shows you how to set up a folder that anyone can open, change, or delete without needing a password.

Why share folders?

Sharing folders makes it easy to swap files quickly with people nearby. It is perfect for team projects where you need a common space to drop files for everyone to see.

What happens when you are done?

Once you finish, you will have a folder on your computer that acts like a public bulletin board. Anyone on your network can view, edit, or remove the files inside. Because this folder is open to everyone, do not store sensitive or private files here.

Create a folder to share

If you don’t have a folder ready, create one now. Open File Explorer, go to where you want the folder, click New, and select Folder.

Give your new folder a simple name.

Create a share in Windows 11

To give everyone access, we will use the Computer Management tool. Note: This process requires administrator privileges.

Click the Start menu and search for “Computer Management.” Click the result to open it.

In the app, look at the left side. Expand Shared Folders, then right-click on Shares and select New Share.

A wizard will open to guide you through the process.

Click Browse to find the folder you created earlier.

Select your folder from the list and click OK.

Give your share a name. You can use the default name or pick a new one.

Next, you must set permissions. Select the Customize permissions option to ensure everyone gets full access.

Select Everyone from the list, then check the Allow box for Full Control. Click OK.

Click Finish to close the wizard.

You have successfully shared your folder! To reach this folder from another computer, use the computer name and the folder name in this format:

\\COMPUTERNAME\SharedFolderName

For example, if your computer is named COMPUTERNAME and the folder is PublicDocument, you would type \\COMPUTERNAME\PublicDocument.

You can also learn how to map network shares How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11 – Website for Students to make accessing your files even faster.

Summary

Sharing folders in Windows 11 allows for simple collaboration. While this method is great for quick file exchanges, remember that anyone with access can change or delete your files. Avoid storing private information in these shared locations. You can always use the computer name path format to connect to your shared resources from other devices.