How to Share Host Folders with Windows Sandbox in Windows 11

This article explains how to share a host folder with Windows Sandbox in Windows 11.

Windows Sandbox is a feature that provides a lightweight and isolated environment in which to run untrusted applications. It allows users to test software and browse websites in a secure “sandboxed” space, ensuring that potential threats do not affect the underlying operating system.

With Windows 11 build 27686.1000, a new feature that lets you share folders on the host computer with a sandbox environment was added. You can turn off using this feature in Windows, though.

Exposing host folders to a sandbox environment allows malicious software to affect a system or steal data.

Windows Sandbox is only available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

Share a host folder with a sandbox environment

As mentioned, you can share a host folder with a sandbox environment in Windows 11.

Here’s how to do it.

First, enable and open the Sandbox app.

Next, click on the 3 dots button at the top right of the title Sandbox apps’s bar, and select Share folder. 

Navigate to and select the host and folder you wish to share.

To complete the steps, click the Select Folder button on the File Explorer dialog box.

Repeat the process for all the folders you want to share with your sandbox.

Share a folder with Windows Sandbox using WSB file

If you want a folder to be mounted within your sandbox every time the Sandbox app opens, use a WBS configuration file.

First, create a text file with a WBS extension on the host computer. (ex. sandboxmap.wbs)

Then, add the lines below into the file and save it to map a folder as read-only.

<Configuration>
  <MappedFolders>
    <MappedFolder>
      <HostFolder>C:\Users\Richard\Downloads</HostFolder>
      <ReadOnly>true</ReadOnly>
    </MappedFolder>
  </MappedFolders>
</Configuration>

Change the highlighted folder location with your own.

Use the lines below to map a folder with read and write access.

<Configuration>
  <MappedFolders>
    <MappedFolder>
      <HostFolder>C:\Users\Richard\Downloads</HostFolder>
      <ReadOnly>false</ReadOnly>
    </MappedFolder>
  </MappedFolders>
</Configuration>

The next time you want to run Sandbox with mapped folders use the wsb file created above on your desktop.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Windows Sandbox in Windows 11 provides a secure, isolated environment for testing untrusted applications and browsing potentially harmful websites.
• Sharing a host folder with Windows Sandbox enables convenient access to files within the virtual environment.
• It’s essential to consider potential security risks when exposing host folders to a sandbox environment, as it could lead to system compromise or data theft.
• Additionally, utilizing a WSB configuration file allows for automatically mounting specific folders within the sandbox environment, providing users with a customized and efficient experience.