# How to Share Files Between Windows PCs on the Same Network

URL: https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/share-files-between-windows-pcs-same-network/
Published: 2026-05-19 | Updated: 2026-08-10 | Author: Ankit Kumar
Tags: Windows 11, Network, Wi-Fi
Summary: Copy photos and documents between two Windows 11 PCs on the same Wi-Fi—turn on network discovery, share a folder, and map a drive without USB sticks.
Recommended app: Network Traffic Monitor & Analyzer — https://www.mytechnician.tech/apps/network-monitor/ (Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9NGCWN2BKVSC?hl=en-us&cid=mytechnician-web). Optional; every step below uses built-in Windows tools.

## The Problem
Two PCs on the same home network, and you need to move folders without emailing yourself or hunting for a USB stick. Windows 11 buries the switches—network profile, discovery, and share permissions—so **Network** in File Explorer stays stubbornly empty even when both machines are online.

## Before You Start
* Both PCs on the **same network**—same Wi-Fi SSID, or the same wired LAN. A guest network will not work.
* Note each device name: **Settings** → **System** → **About** → **Device name**, for example `DESKTOP-KITCHEN`.
* Decide how you will authenticate. Either use the **same account credentials** on both PCs, or create a dedicated local user for sharing. Leaving password-protected sharing on is the safer choice.

## Step 1: Set the Network Profile to Private
Windows blocks discovery entirely on Public networks, which is the single most common reason nothing appears.

1. **Settings** → **Network & internet** → **Wi-Fi** (or **Ethernet**) → click your connection.
2. Set **Network profile type** to **Private**.
3. Do this on **both** PCs.

## Step 2: Turn On Discovery and File Sharing
1. **Settings** → **Network & internet** → **Advanced network settings** → **Advanced sharing settings**.
2. Under **Private networks**, turn on **Network discovery** and **File and printer sharing**.
3. Under **All networks**, leave **Password protected sharing** **on** unless you fully trust every device on the network.
4. Repeat on both PCs.

If discovery still fails, confirm these services are running (`services.msc`), set to **Automatic (Delayed Start)**:

* **Function Discovery Provider Host**
* **Function Discovery Resource Publication**
* **SSDP Discovery**
* **UPnP Device Host**

**Function Discovery Resource Publication** in particular is frequently stopped, and it is what makes your PC visible to others.

## Step 3: Share the Folder
1. Right-click the folder → **Properties** → **Sharing** tab.
2. Click **Share**, choose the user account that will connect from the other PC, set **Read** or **Read/Write**, and click **Share**.
3. Note the network path it displays, such as `\\DESKTOP-KITCHEN\Photos`.

For finer control, use **Advanced Sharing** → tick **Share this folder** → set the share name → **Permissions**.

Understand that there are **two** permission layers, and this trips up nearly everyone: the **Share** permissions and the **Security** (NTFS) permissions on the **Security** tab. The effective access is the more restrictive of the two. If a share looks correct but access is denied, the Security tab is usually the reason.

## Step 4: Connect From the Other PC
1. Open File Explorer → **Network** in the left pane.
2. Double-click the other PC's name and enter credentials when prompted. Tick **Remember my credentials**.
3. If the PC does not appear, type the path directly into the address bar—this works even when discovery is broken:

```
\\DESKTOP-KITCHEN
```

Or by IP address, which is more reliable still:

```
\\192.168.1.42
```

Find the IP with `ipconfig` on the source PC. Browsing by name relies on discovery; connecting by address does not, which makes this an excellent diagnostic.

## Step 5: Map a Drive Letter (Optional)
1. File Explorer → ⋯ → **Map network drive**.
2. Enter the folder path, for example `\\DESKTOP-KITCHEN\Photos`.
3. Tick **Reconnect at sign-in**, and **Connect using different credentials** if the accounts differ.

## When It Still Does Not Work
Work through these in order:

1. **Ping test.** `ping DESKTOP-KITCHEN` and then `ping 192.168.1.42`. If the IP responds and the name does not, it is a name-resolution problem, and using the IP address is a perfectly good workaround.
2. **Firewall.** **Windows Security** → **Firewall & network protection** → **Allow an app through firewall** → tick **File and Printer Sharing** for **Private**.
3. **VPN.** Disconnect it on both PCs. VPN clients routinely isolate you from the local network.
4. **Router client isolation.** Many routers enable AP isolation on guest networks, and some on the main one. Check the wireless settings.
5. **Different subnets.** One PC on 192.168.1.x and the other on 192.168.0.x cannot see each other—this happens when a second router or a mesh extender is running in router mode rather than bridge mode.
6. **Credentials cached wrongly.** Open **Credential Manager** → **Windows Credentials** and remove stale entries for that PC, then reconnect.

## A Note on SMBv1
Old NAS boxes and Windows 7 machines may only speak SMBv1, which Windows 11 disables for good reason—it is the protocol WannaCry spread through. Do not re-enable it to reach an old device. Update the device's firmware, or move files with a USB drive instead.

## Faster Alternatives
* **For very large transfers**, wired gigabit Ethernet on both ends beats Wi-Fi comfortably. See [fix slow file transfer speeds](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/fix-slow-file-transfer-speed-windows-11/).
* **For occasional files between devices in the same room**, turn on **Nearby sharing**: **Settings** → **System** → **Nearby sharing**.
* **For a full migration to a new machine**, follow the complete checklist: [transfer files from an old PC to a new PC](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/transfer-files-from-old-pc-to-new-pc/).

---
Source: https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/share-files-between-windows-pcs-same-network/ — My Technician, free Windows 10/11 troubleshooting guides.
Related tool: Network Traffic Monitor & Analyzer (Network Traffic Monitor & Analyzer shows real-time bandwidth usage, active connections, and per-app network traffic on Windows 10 and 11.) — https://www.mytechnician.tech/apps/network-monitor/
More guides: https://www.mytechnician.tech/llms.txt