How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11

 

This article explains how to map a network drive in Windows 11, so you can easily access shared files from another computer on your network. We'll also look at what the other computer needs to do to enable sharing and what to look out for if you're having trouble mapping a network drive.

How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11

It only takes a few steps to map a network drive through the This PC window.

1. Open This PC by launching File Explorer ( WIN+E ) and selecting  This PC  in the navigation pane.

2. Use the View More menu button (the three dots) at the top of the window to select Map Network Drive .

3. Choose a letter from the menu under which you want to identify the network drive. It can be any letter in the list.

4. Browse or type the path to the shared folder to which the network drive should be mapped.

If the share requires a specific password, you must choose  Connect using different credentials . You will be prompted for a username (and password) to access the other computer.

5. Select Finish .

You may need to wait a few seconds for Windows to establish the connection, after which you can access the share as you would a flash drive or local hard drive and rename its appearance in This PC.

Note: If after completing step 5 you get an error or a password prompt, see the tips at the end for further instructions.

How to automatically map a network drive in Windows 11

The primary way to set up an automatic network drive is to follow the steps above and choose  Reconnect at login  during setup. This will resume the same network drive the next time you log in.

If you manage multiple computers at once, or even one computer with multiple users, and need to automatically map the network drive to each of them, there is a script you can create to do the job. The same method works to create the network drive for other users on a local computer; see steps below for instructions.

How to map a network drive in Windows 11 for all users

Mapping a network drive for all users at once is much easier than following the above steps individually under each account. Follow these steps whether you're a network administrator who needs to perform this trick on your entire network of computers, or you want local accounts on your PC to easily access the same shared files.

1. Use the net use command to create a script that will automatically map the mapped network drive.

Here is an example, where the driver letter will be assigned automatically, and the connection to the share ( \server\files , in this example) will persist ( /p:yes ) each time the user connects:

net use * "\\server\files" /p:yes

The script must be saved as a BAT file for Windows to run it when the user logs on.

Visit the net use command link above for examples of embedding credentials in the command. It is needed if the computer sharing the files requires a password.

2. Open the All Users Startup folder. An easy way to find it is to run this command in the Run dialog ( WIN+R ):

shell:commonstartup

3. Copy the BAT file from step 1 to the folder you discovered in step 2.

Now when a user connects to this computer, the network drive you configured in the script connects automatically.

Troubleshooting Mapped Network Drives

A few things need to be in place before network sharing is allowed in Windows 11.

If you're sure your PC is on the same network as the one sharing the files (it's a necessity), keep these things in mind if you're having trouble mapping a network drive or using it once you mapped it:

Network Discovery

Network discovery allows you to see network computers and their shares. Make sure it is enabled in Control Panel.

1. Open Control Panel and go to Network and Internet  >  Network and Sharing Center  >  Change advanced sharing settings .

2. Expand the section that shows the current profile and select Enable network discovery .

The computer doing the sharing (i.e. the one you are trying to connect to) must have  Enable file and printer sharing selected  from this same screen before it can share with you over the network.

3. Select Save Changes and then try to map the network drive again.

Password protected sharing

You must either have the login credentials of the user sharing the files with you, or configure their computer to allow sharing even if no password is provided.

In the All Networks section, they can configure the latter by selecting  Disable Password Protected Sharing  via the same screen as above.

Sharing permissions

You can configure sharing to allow a number of users simultaneously. It can even be limited to viewing files only, which means you can't modify or add anything to the network drive. To obtain these permissions, the person managing the network share must make changes on their end.

If they navigate to the Sharing tab of the folder properties, the  Advanced Sharing button is an option to limit the number of users who can use sharing at a time. On this same screen, in the  Permissions area , File Manager can give you full control or edit access.

Full share path

Make sure you are accessing the real share path. Manually entering the path while setting up the network drive may result in an error. You can get the share path from the computer sharing the resources.

Open File Explorer and navigate to Network  from the navigation pane of this computer. Open the computer name you see there, then find the folder you want to access. This is the path you need to enter in your computer to complete the mapped drive.

The same path is accessible from the folder itself. Right-click on it, go to the Sharing tab and copy the text from the Network Path box .

FAQs

How to unmap a network drive in Windows 11?

Go to This PC , select the three dots  at the top of the window and choose  Disconnect network drive . Choose the drive you want to disconnect, then choose  OK .

How to reconnect to a network drive in Windows 11?

If you are having trouble connecting to a network drive, disconnect the drive, then remap it. When mapping the drive, ensure that  Reconnect at connection  is selected.

How to Share Network Files in Windows 11?

Besides mapping a network drive, there are other network file sharing options in Windows 11. These include cloud file sharing with OneDrive, Windows public folder sharing, and third-party sharing solutions .

If you have any questions or suggestions, let us know in the comments. Also check out this guide if you want to learn how to  change your network profile on Windows 11 .

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