How to Turn On or Off File and Printer Sharing in Windows 11

What is File and Printer Sharing?

File and printer sharing in Windows 11 lets you easily share files, folders, or printers with other computers on your home or office network, making collaboration simpler.

• File sharing: Lets others on your network see, copy, or change files in a shared folder.
• Printer sharing: Lets others use a printer connected to your computer.

Windows uses different network types: Domain, Private, and Public. You can choose to turn sharing on or off for each type separately.

Note: You need to be signed in as an administrator to change these settings.

Option 1Turn File and Printer Sharing On or Off Using ⚙️ Windows Settings

1. Press Win + I on your keyboard to open Settings.
2. Click Network & internet on the left side.
3. On the right, click Advanced network settings.

4. Click Advanced sharing settings.

You can turn File and Printer Sharing on or off in Windows 11 using ⚙️ the Settings app by first opening Settings and then navigating to advanced network options.

5. Click the arrows next to Private networks and/or Public networks to expand each section.
6. Turn File and printer sharing On or Off for each network type as you wish.

By default, file and printer sharing is on for private networks, and off for public networks (to keep you safer).

Once done, you can close ⚙️ the Settings window.

Option 2Turn File and Printer Sharing On or Off Using PowerShell

This option is for users who are comfortable using commands.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. Make sure you are in the Windows PowerShell tab.

To Turn On File and Printer Sharing

To turn on File and Printer Sharing for specific network types in Windows 11, you can use PowerShell commands designed to enable the necessary firewall rules.

• All network profiles:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Any' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'True'

• Domain network:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Domain' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'True'

• Private network:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Private' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'True'

• Public network:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Public' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'True'

To Turn Off File and Printer Sharing

To turn off File and Printer Sharing for specific network types in Windows 11, you can use PowerShell commands that disable the relevant firewall rules.

• All network profiles:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Any' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'False'

• Domain network:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Domain' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'False'

• Private network:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Private' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'False'

• Public network:
  
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Get-NetFirewallRule -Group '*-28502*' | Where-Object 'Profile' -Match 'Public' | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled 'False'

When finished, you can close PowerShell.

Summary

• File and printer sharing lets you share files and printers with other devices on your network.
• You can control sharing separately for different network types: Domain, Private, and Public.
• You can use the easy ⚙️ Settings app or PowerShell commands if you prefer.
• Make sure you are signed in as an administrator before changing these settings.
• Knowing how to manage sharing helps keep your network safe and useful.

File and Printer Sharing in Windows 11 lets you share resources across your network, and you can manage these settings easily through ⚙️ the Settings app or PowerShell commands.