How to Enable Device Discovery in Windows 11 Developer Mode
Device Discovery in Windows 11 Developer Mode lets your computer broadcast its presence so other devices on your network can find and connect to it. You turn on this feature when you need to test apps you build or set up secure remote connections like SSH.
For everyday computer tasks, you do not need Device Discovery turned on. Leaving it off keeps your network safer.
Navigate to Settings System For developers and toggle Device discovery on or off. This feature allows your PC to find and be found by other devices on your local network for easier file sharing and streaming. Only enable it on trusted networks.
Before You Start: What You Need
Setting up device discovery for windows 11 requires an administrator account and Developer Mode turned on. You can check your account type in Settings Accounts Your info to confirm you have the right permissions before you start making changes to your computer.
- Administrator Access: You need to be signed in as an administrator on your Windows 11 computer to change these settings. To check if you are, go to Settings Accounts Your info
- Developer Mode: Device Discovery is linked to Developer Mode. You must have Developer Mode turned on in Windows 11 for Device Discovery to work. If Developer Mode is off, you won’t be able to turn on Device Discovery.
If you haven’t turned on Developer Mode yet, don’t worry. We’ll cover that briefly as part of the steps.
Option 1Turning Device Discovery On or Off Through Settings
You can turn Device Discovery on or off directly inside the Windows Settings app.
Step 1Open Windows Settings
Press the Win+I to open Settings , or click the Start button and select the gear icon.
- Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
- Or, click the Start button and then click on the Settings gear icon.
Step 2Go to Developer Settings
Once Settings is open, you need to find the options designated for developers.
- In the menu on the left side of the Settings window, click on System.
- On the right side, scroll down and click on Advanced.
Step 3Manage Device Discovery
You're in the right spot! Here, you'll find several options for developer features. Look for 'Device discovery'.
- To Turn ON Device Discovery: Click the switch next to "Device discovery" to turn it On.
- To Turn OFF Device Discovery: Click the switch next to "Device discovery" to turn it Off.
Step 4Close Settings
Close the Settings window when you finish.
Option 2Turning Device Discovery On or Off Using the Registry Editor (For Advanced Users)
If you are comfortable making changes in the Windows Registry, you can also alter this setting manually. The Registry (a database storing low-level system and app settings) requires caution, as mistakes can cause system instability.
Why Use the Registry Editor?
You can manually change settings for direct control or when specific instructions require it. This manual control is helpful for configuring the same options across multiple computers.
Step 1Open the Registry Editor
Opening the Registry Editor for device discovery windows 11 is done by clicking the Start button and typing regedit into the search bar. You must then right-click the Registry Editor result and select Run as administrator so you have the permissions needed to change system settings.
- Click the Start button.
- Type
regeditinto the search bar. - Right-click on Registry Editor in the search results and choose Run as administrator.
- If a User Account Control (UAC) window appears, click Yes to allow it to make changes.
Step 2Go to the Correct Registry Location
Finding the right registry key for device discovery windows 11 means opening the left pane of the Registry Editor and going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\debugregsvc\Parameters. This specific path holds the settings you need to adjust for developer tools.
In the Registry Editor window, examine the left pane. Carefully navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\debugregsvc\Parameters
Alternatively, you can copy this path and paste it into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor window, then press Enter.
Step 3Change the 'DebugState' Value
Changing the DebugState value for device discovery windows 11 lets you turn the feature on or off by editing a single registry entry. Double-clicking DebugState and changing the value data to 1 turns it on, while typing 0 turns it off.
- To Turn ON Device Discovery:
- Double-click on DebugState.
- In the "Value data" box, type
1. - Make sure the "Base" is set to Hexadecimal.
- Click OK.
- To turn Device Discovery OFF:
- Double-click on DebugState.
- In the "Value data" box, type
0. - Make sure the "Base" is set to Hexadecimal.
- Click OK.
Explanation of Values:
A value of 1 for DebugState indicates that Device Discovery is currently enabled.
A value of 0 for DebugState signifies that Device Discovery is disabled.
Step 4Close the Registry Editor
After making your adjustments, you can close the Registry Editor.
Step 5Restart Your PC (Recommended)
For changes made within the Registry to take full effect, restarting your computer is generally recommended. This ensures all system components adopt the new setting.
Summary
Device discovery in Windows 11 lets other devices on your network find your PC, useful for app development. For most users, keeping device discovery off is safer. You can toggle device discovery on or off through Windows Settings under System Advanced, or by editing the registry for more control.
How to fix Network discovery is turned off in 🪟 Windows 11?
Click the [Start] icon on the taskbar①, then select [Settings] ②. Select [Network & Internet]③, then select [Advanced network settings]④. On More settings, select [Advanced sharing settings]⑤. You can create a separate network profile for each network type you use, to turn on or off the Network Discovery feature⑥.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
This article does not tell how to open or close the Device Discovery app using the Settings App
Thank you! Fixed the post.