File sharing

On Windows 11, check both sharing settings and firewall rules with these steps:

1. Verify the network is set to Private
   • Go to Start > Settings > Network & internet.
   • Open the connected network and make sure the profile is Private.
   • File and printer sharing is normally enabled for Private networks.
2. Check sharing settings
   • Go to Start > Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings.
   • Under Private networks, make sure:
     • Network discovery = On
     • File and printer sharing = On
   • Under All networks, if needed for easier access in a workgroup setup, turn password protected sharing Off.
3. Confirm the required discovery services are running
   • Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, then select OK.
   • For each of these services, open Properties and make sure they are running and set to Automatic:
     • Function Discovery Provider Host
     • Function Discovery Resource Publication
     • SSDP Discovery
     • UPnP Device Host
4. Check whether the folder is actually shared
   • Open File Explorer.
   • Type \localhost in the address bar.
   • This shows folders shared from the PC.
   • If a folder is under the user profile, seeing profile files there does not mean all files are shared; it can also reflect access to local files.
5. Confirm Windows Defender Firewall allows file sharing
   • Open Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall.
   • Select Advanced settings.
   • Select Inbound Rules.
   • Find these rules and make sure both are enabled:
     • File and Printer Sharing (NB-Session-In)
     • File and Printer Sharing (SMB-In)
   • Enabling these rules requires membership in the Administrators group or equivalent.
6. Quick check from File Explorer
   • Open File Explorer > Network.
   • If the banner says Network discovery is turned off, select it and then choose Turn on network discovery and file sharing.

If file sharing still does not work, make sure all PCs are on the same network and fully updated.

• Windows 11
• SMB: File and printer sharing ports should be open