share files between two windows 11 pcs

Question

sharing files etc between 2 windows 11 computers nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Answer 1

Hi Irving,

Microsoft has support documentation about this here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/file-sharing-over-a-network-in-windows-b58704b2-f53a-4b82-7bc1-80f9994725bf

1. Connect both computers to the same network (same Wi-Fi or same router).
2. Press Windows + R, type control, press Enter → open Control Panel.
3. Go to Network and Sharing Center → click Change advanced sharing settings.
4. Enable these options:
   • Turn on network discovery
   • Turn on file and printer sharing
5. Under All Networks:
   • Turn on Public folder sharing
   • Turn off Password protected sharing (optional if you want easy access).
6. Right-click the folder you want to share → click Properties.
7. Go to Sharing tab → click Share.
8. Select Everyone from the dropdown → click Add → choose Read/Write if needed → click Share.
9. On the second computer:
   • Press Windows + R
   • Type \\ComputerName or \\IP address
   • Press Enter to access the shared folder.
10. To find the first computer name:
    • Press Windows + R → type cmd → run hostname.

If Network sharing is not working, you can refer to this guide:

https://www.yourwindowsguide.com/2026/02/network-sharing-not-working.html

I’m eager to hear back and work together to find a solution.

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Answer 2

There are three main ways to share files between two Windows 11 PCs on a home network: network file sharing, Nearby sharing, and OneDrive. Each requires both PCs to be on and signed in.

1. Share a folder over the local network

On the PC that has the files:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click the folder to share, select Show more options (if needed), then select Give access to > Specific people.
3. In the dialog, choose a user on the network or select Everyone to allow all network users to access the folder, then select Share.

On the other PC:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. In the address bar, type the network path to the first PC and shared folder (for example, \\ComputerName\\SharedFolder) and press Enter.
3. Optionally, right-click the shared folder and select Map network drive to assign it a drive letter so it appears under This PC each time.

If access fails, ensure both PCs:

1. Are on the same network and the Wi‑Fi network profile is set to Private.
2. Have Network discovery and File and printer sharing turned on:
   • Select Start > Settings.
   • In the search box, type manage advanced sharing settings and open Manage advanced sharing settings.
   • Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.

For more advanced troubleshooting (for example, services not running), follow the steps under How do I troubleshoot sharing files and folders? in the reference.

2. Use Nearby sharing (no manual network paths)

Nearby sharing is simpler for ad‑hoc transfers of documents, photos, and links between two nearby Windows 11 PCs.

Turn on Nearby sharing on both PCs:

1. Select Start > Settings > System > Nearby sharing.
2. Under Nearby sharing, choose whether to share with Everyone nearby or My devices only.
3. Optionally, under Save files I receive to, select Change to pick where received files are stored.

Share a file or picture:

1. On the sending PC, open File Explorer (or the Photos app for pictures).
2. Select the file or picture.
3. Select Share and then choose the name of the other PC from the Nearby sharing list.
4. On the receiving PC, when the notification appears, select Save or Save & open.

If Nearby sharing doesn’t work, use the troubleshooting guidance in the reference article for fixing Nearby sharing problems.

3. Use OneDrive to share over the internet

If the PCs are not always on the same local network, OneDrive is useful.

On the PC with the files:

1. Save or move the files/folders into the OneDrive folder (for example, OneDrive > Documents or Pictures in File Explorer).
2. In File Explorer, right-click the file or folder in OneDrive and select Share.
3. Choose who the link should work for, select Apply, then either:
   • Select Copy link and send it via chat or email, or
   • Enter the other account’s email in the To: field and select Send.

On the other PC:

1. Open the shared link or sign in to the same OneDrive account.
2. Access the shared files from File Explorer under OneDrive.
3. Quick send via email (for small files)

For small files:

1. In File Explorer, select the file.
2. Select Share > Email a contact to open a new message with the file attached.
3. Send it to an email address accessible on the other PC.

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References:

• Share files in Windows
• Share things with nearby devices in Windows
• Fix problems with nearby sharing in Windows
• File sharing over a network in Windows
• File Explorer in Windows