Share via

File share no longer connects.

Martin Rogoff 0 Reputation points
2026-05-22T16:19:03.4333333+00:00

I have a file share on a Windows 10 machine and I can no longer connect from my Windows 11 machine. I have been connected for at least a year.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Sin-D 10,030 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-23T00:22:03.1833333+00:00

    Hi Martin Rogoff,

    I understand you’ve been able to access a file share from your Windows 11 PC to a Windows 10 machine for a long time, but it suddenly stopped working.

    Have you already tried the Q&A Assist suggestions? In addition, could you confirm:

    • Do you get any error message/code when connecting (e.g., “Network path not found”, “Access denied”)?
    • Can you see the Windows 10 PC under “Network” in File Explorer?

    In the meantime, based on your description, this can be caused by:

    • Credentials mismatch after updates
    • SMB security changes
    • Name resolution issues

    Please try the following:

    1, Clear saved network credentials

    Windows may be using outdated credentials silently.

    1. Press Windows key + S, search for “Credential Manager”
    2. Go to “Windows Credentials”
    3. Remove any entries related to the Windows 10 machine
    4. Restart your PC
    5. Reconnect using: \\ComputerName\ShareName

    You should be prompted to enter credentials again.

    2, Test using IP address instead of computer name

    This helps rule out name resolution issues:

    1. On Windows 10 PC, run: ipconfig
    2. Note the IPv4 address (e.g., 192.168.x.x)
    3. On Windows 11, open File Explorer and enter: \\192.168.x.x\ShareName

    If this works but the name doesn’t, it’s a DNS/NetBIOS issue

    3, Re-create the share

    Sometimes permissions break silently after updates:

    On the Windows 10 machine:

    1. Right-click the folder > select “Properties”
    2. Go to “Sharing” > “Advanced Sharing”
    3. Uncheck “Share this folder”, click OK
    4. Re-enable sharing again
    5. Ensure Permissions > Everyone has at least Read access

    4, Check for Windows update changes

    Recent updates may enforce stricter authentication.

    Try manually mapping with credentials:

    1. Open File Explorer > This PC > Map network drive
    2. Enter: \\ComputerName\ShareName
    3. Check “Connect using different credentials”
    4. Enter the Windows 10 PC username/password

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".    

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. AI answer

    2026-05-22T16:19:17.2066667+00:00

    Follow these steps on both the Windows 10 (host) and Windows 11 (client) PCs to restore access to the share.

    1. Confirm both PCs are on the same network
    • Make sure both machines are connected to the same router/Wi‑Fi and subnet.
    1. Ensure the network is set to Private
    • On Windows 11 and Windows 10, set the active Wi‑Fi/Ethernet network profile to Private. For how to do this, see Essential network settings and tasks in the referenced article.
    1. Turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing On Windows 11:
    2. Select Start > Settings.
    3. In Find a setting, type manage advanced sharing settings and select Manage advanced sharing settings.
    4. Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
    5. Under All Networks, turn off Password protected sharing (temporarily, to test access).

    On Windows 10:

    1. Select Start > Settings > Network & internet.
    2. On the right, select Sharing options.
    3. Under Private, select Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing.
    4. Under All Networks, select Turn off password protected sharing (temporarily, to test access).
    5. Make required sharing services start automatically On both PCs:
    6. Press Windows logo key + R, type services.msc, select OK.
    7. For each service below, right‑click > Properties:
      • Function Discovery Provider Host
      • Function Discovery Resource Publication
      • SSDP Discovery
      • UPnP Device Host
    8. If not running, select Start.
    9. Set Startup type to Automatic.
    10. Select OK, then restart the PC.
    11. Test access using UNC path On the Windows 11 PC:
    12. Open File Explorer.
    13. In the address bar, type \\<Windows10ComputerName> or \\<Windows10IPAddress> and press Enter.
    14. Try opening the shared folder.

    If access still fails, try mapping the share explicitly:

    1. Open File Explorer.
    2. Select This PC.
    3. On the Computer tab, select Map network drive.
    4. Choose a drive letter.
    5. In Folder, enter \\<Windows10ComputerName>\<ShareName>.
    6. Select Reconnect at sign‑in, then Finish.
    7. If the share is very old or on legacy devices If the Windows 10 share or any intermediate device requires SMB 1.0, enable SMB 1.0/CIFS Client on Windows 10 or 11 as described in the shared‑folder troubleshooting article (Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off > SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support > SMB 1.0/CIFS Client). Only do this if required, as SMB1 is deprecated and less secure.

    If problems persist after these steps, re‑create the share on the Windows 10 machine (stop sharing and share again) and then re‑map it from Windows 11.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.