On Windows 11 (and previous versions), you can share files with other computers on your network without having to send them through an app. You can make them available in File Explorer, and you can even map a network folder on another PC as a drive on your PC. To do that, though, you'll first need to turn on network discovery and, depending on what you want to do, file sharing. Doing this is fairly straightforward, but if you're not sure, we're here to help you out. There are two ways to turn on network discovery, so let's get right into them.

How to turn on network discovery in Windows 11 using File Explorer

The fastest way to turn on network discovery in Windows 11 is to use File Explorer.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Click Network on the navigation pane on the left.
  3. If network discovery isn't on, you'll see a warning message saying Network discovery and file sharing are turned off. Click it.
  4. Click Turn on network discovery and file sharing. You'll need administrator permissions.
  5. If your current network is set to public (the default setting), you'll be asked whether you want to enable network discovery for all public networks or change your current network to private. For security, choose No, make the network I am connected to a private network.

Network discovery and file sharing will be enabled, and you'll immediately see laptops and PCs on your network, as long as they also have the option enabled. You may want to turn off file sharing if you just want to enable network discovery.

How to turn off file sharing while network discovery is on

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Choose Network & internet from the left-side menu.
  3. Click Advanced network settings.
  4. Click Advanced sharing settings.
  5. Under Private networks, set the File and printer sharing toggle to off.

How to turn on network discovery in the Windows 11 Settings app

Another way to turn on network discovery is to use the Settings app in Windows 11. It's a little less straightforward, but it accomplishes the same thing. Before you do this, we recommend setting your network type to a private network, whether at home or work.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Choose Network & internet from the menu on the left.
  3. Click Advanced network settings.
  4. Click Advanced sharing settings.
  5. Under Private networks, set the Network sharing toggle to On.
  6. (Optional) If you intend to share files with other network PCs, enable the File and printer sharing toggle.

    You can also enable these settings for public networks, but they will apply to every network you connect to, potentially exposing your PC to other devices on those networks.

Discover your network

Both of these methods will do essentially the same thing, so it's up to you which one you prefer. However, if you want to turn these features off in the future, it's easier to go through the Settings app to do so. For now, you can send your files between computers effortlessly.