6 Ways to Fix Windows 11 Can’t Access Shared Folder

Quick Tips

• Ensure the sharing protocol and network discovery are enabled on your PC.
• Check if your user account has the permission to access the shared folder.
• Ensure that network and sharing services are running on your PC.

Fix 1: Use the Command Prompt to Access the Shared Folder

If you can’t open the shared folder in File Explorer, use Command Prompt to access it. Here’s how.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.

Step 2: Type the details like PC name, server name, and shared folder name in the following command and hit Enter.

net use <DeviceName>: \\<ServerName>\<ShareName>

Fix 2: Enable File Sharing Support

You should also ensure the sharing protocol is enabled on your Windows PC. Here’s how to check.

Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type turn windows features on or off, and press Enter.

Step 2: Locate and check the box for SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support. Then, click OK.

Fix 3: Enable Network Discovery

Another reason your PC might fail to access the shared folder is if Network Discovery is disabled. Turning it on will allow your PC to view and access shared folders on the same network.

Step 1: Open the search menu, type control panel, and press Enter.

Step 2: Change the view type to Large icons. Then, click on Network and Sharing Center.

Step 3: Click on Change advance sharing settings in the left pane.

Step 4: Under Private, select Turn on network discovery.

Step 5: Expand All Networks and navigate to the Password protected sharing section. Select Turn on password protected sharing and hit Save changes.

Fix 4: Check Folder Permissions

Improper setup or lack of sharing permissions can prevent you from accessing a shared folder on Windows. To avoid this, ensure that the folder permissions for the shared folder are configured correctly.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + E to launch the File Explorer. Right-click on the folder you wish to share and select Properties.

Step 2: In the Properties window, switch to the Sharing tab. Then click Advanced Sharing.

Step 3: Click on Permissions.

Step 4: Under Group or user names, select Everyone and allow Full Control. Then, hit Apply, followed by OK.

Fix 5: Start Sharing Services

If you still can’t access the shared folder on Windows, the network and sharing services on your PC may not be running. Here’s how to fix that.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to launch the Run command. Type services.msc and press Enter.

Step 2: In the Services window, you’ll find all the services arranged alphabetically. Right-click on Function Discovery Provider Host and select Start from the menu.

Repeat the above step to start Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery, and UPnP Device Host services as well.

Fix 6: Modify Registry Files

If nothing works, you can modify your PC’s file-sharing policies via the registry editor. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

Step 2: Use the address bar at the top to navigate to the following key.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation

If you can’t find LanmanWorkstation, right-click on the Windows key > go to New > Key. Name it LanmanWorkstation.

Step 3: Select the LanmanWorkstation key, right-click anywhere on the empty space on your right, and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it AllowInsecureGuestAuth.

Step 4: Double-click the newly created DWORD and change its value data to 1. Then, click OK.

Restart your PC and access the shared folder again.