Shared folder Access asks for email address

Question

I have two Windows 11 Pro computers. I had a shared folder that has stopped working. When I try to access the folder from the destination computer, I am now prompted for an email address and password. I assume that is the Microsoft Account that is used on the source computer. That, however, does not work. I have made sure that no firewall is active on either PC. I have disabled IPv6 on the network adapter on each PC. I disabled Password Protected Sharing under the Advanced Sharing Settings. I turned on SMB 1.0 Client and Server on both. Any thoughts on what I am missing or what I did wrong? Thanks much in advance.

Answer 1

Hi Ben,

I'm Sumit, here to assist with your question.

Apologies for any inconvenience - I'm happy to help you today.

This is a very common nuisance with Windows. You would have to update your password of the destination computer's Microsoft account from Windows itself and it should start working.

Also, please run the commands given in this article as well which should help a lot:

https://www.yourwindowsguide.com/2025/01/mapped-drives-24h2.html

I look forward to your response and am eager to collaborate until we find a solution.

A Windows MVP writes content on the above website, so it is safe. However, do watch out for the ads. It should translate into your Browser language automatically.

Answer 2

It sounds like you're encountering issues with accessing a shared folder due to authentication prompts. Here are a few things you can check or try to resolve the issue:

1. Verify User Permissions: Ensure that the user account you are trying to use has the necessary permissions to access the shared folder. You may need to check the sharing settings on the source computer to confirm this.
2. Check SMB Settings: Since you mentioned enabling SMB 1.0, ensure that both computers are configured to use SMB 2.0 or higher, as SMB 1.0 is less secure and may cause compatibility issues. You can check and enable SMB 2.0 or SMB 3.0 in the Windows Features settings.
3. Network Discovery and File Sharing: Ensure that network discovery and file sharing are turned on for both computers. You can do this by going to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Advanced sharing settings, and then enabling these options.
4. Guest Account Access: Starting from Windows 10 version 1709 and Windows Server 2019, guest account access is disabled by default. If you are trying to access the shared folder without proper credentials, you will need to ensure that the account you are using has the correct permissions and is not relying on guest access.
5. Use Local Account: If you are using a Microsoft account, try using a local account instead. Sometimes, Microsoft account credentials can cause issues with local network sharing.
6. Firewall Settings: Even though you mentioned that no firewall is active, double-check that any third-party security software is not blocking access to shared folders.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to consider resetting the network settings or checking for any Windows updates that might address known issues with file sharing.