Set Up a Secure Home Network File Sharing on Windows 10/11

Set Up a Secure Home Network File Sharing on Windows 10/11​

Difficulty: Beginner | Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Introduction
Sharing files across devices in your home can boost productivity and reduce email back-and-forth. This guide shows you how to set up a secure, private network folder you can access from other Windows 10 or Windows 11 PCs on the same home network. You’ll learn how to enable network discovery, create a dedicated shared folder with proper permissions, and connect from a second PC with password-protected access. Note: HomeGroup was removed from Windows; modern sharing relies on file sharing, NTFS permissions, and the Windows firewall.
Prerequisites

• Two Windows PCs on the same home network (router). Preferably both on private networks, not public.
• Administrative access on both machines.
• A folder you want to share on the host PC (the PC that will share the files).
• Optional but recommended: a local user account on the host PC for the other PC to use when connecting.

Detailed step-by-step instructions
1) Set both PCs to a Private network

• Windows 10: Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet (or Wi‑Fi) > Network profile > Private.
• Windows 11: Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet or Wi‑Fi > Network profile > Private.
  Reason: Private networks enable automatic network discovery and easier sharing. Public networks disable these features for security.

2) Turn on network discovery and file sharing

• Open Control Panel (search for “Control Panel” in the Start menu).
• go to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.
• Under Private (current profile): Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing.
• Under All Networks: Turn on/off as appropriate:
  • Turn on password protected sharing (recommended for security).
  • Consider turning off Public folder sharing if you plan to keep most files private.
    Tip: If you’re sharing with a single computer, password-protected sharing is the safest option.

3) Create a dedicated shared folder on the host PC

• Create a folder you’ll share, for example C:\Shared or D:\Shared.
• Right-click the folder > Properties > Sharing tab > Advanced Sharing.
• Check “Share this folder” and click Permissions to set access:
  • For most home setups, add the specific user accounts from the host PC (or create a dedicated user for access) and grant Read or Read/Write as needed.
  • Avoid giving “Everyone” full access unless you fully trust all devices on the network.
• Click OK and note the Share Name (e.g., Shared). The share path will be \HostPC\Shared.

4) Set NTFS permissions for the shared folder

• In the same properties window, go to the Security tab.
• Ensure the intended user accounts have the appropriate NTFS permissions (Read or Modify/Full Control as needed).
• If you add a new user, use Edit > Add to grant permissions.
  Tip: NTFS permissions control what the user can do inside the folder once they access it; share permissions control who can access the share at all.

5) Create a local user account on the host PC (for controlled access)

• Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.
• Create a local account (not required if you’re using existing accounts, but recommended for clean access control).
• Assign a strong password and use this account when prompted for credentials from the client PC.
  Note: You can also reuse an existing local account, but separate credentials help with privacy and security.

6) Ensure password-protected sharing is enabled

• Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.
• Under All Networks, confirm that Password protected sharing is turned on.
• This ensures other devices must authenticate with a valid user on the host PC.

7) Find the host PC name and share name for connection

• On the host PC, open Command Prompt and type: hostname
• The share path will look like: \HOSTPCNAME\Shared
• If you changed the share name, use that instead of “Shared.”

8) Connect from the client PC

• Open File Explorer on the client PC.
• In the address bar, type the host path: \HOSTPCNAME\Shared and press Enter.
• When prompted, enter the credentials of the host PC’s local user account you created (username and password).
• You should now see and be able to access the shared folder.

9) (Optional) Map the network drive for easy access

• On the client PC, open File Explorer > This PC > Map network drive.
• Choose a drive letter (e.g., Z.
• Folder: \HOSTPCNAME\Shared
• Reconnect at sign-in: checked
• Finish and enter credentials if prompted.
• The shared folder now appears as a normal drive in This PC.

10) Basic security hygiene and best practices

• Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts involved.
• Keep Windows updated (Security updates are essential for network protection).
• Keep the host PC’s firewall enabled (Windows Defender Firewall is fine).
• Disable guest accounts or restrict access to specific users.
• Avoid sharing sensitive folders publicly; limit permissions to only what’s needed.

Tips and troubleshooting notes

• If you don’t see the host PC in Network:
  • Confirm both PCs are on Private networks and same workgroup (optional for discovery).
  • Ensure both have network discovery and file sharing turned on in advanced sharing settings.
  • Restart the PCs if discovery fails after changes.
• Permission denied errors:
  • Double-check that the client is using a valid host PC user account with permissions to the shared folder.
  • Verify both share permissions and NTFS permissions allow the account access.
• Firewall blocks:
  • Go to Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall > Ensure File and Printer Sharing is allowed on your network profile.
• Access from Windows 10 to Windows 11 (or vice versa):
  • The same steps apply. Minor UI differences exist, but the concepts (private network, discovery, sharing, permissions) remain the same.
• SMB protocol considerations:
  • Do not enable SMB 1.0/CIFS unless you absolutely need legacy devices. SMB 2.x/3.x is standard in Windows 10/11 and is more secure.
• Sharing external media:
  • If you plan to share external drives, ensure they are formatted with NTFS and set appropriate permissions.

Conclusion
A properly configured home network share lets you access important files quickly from any Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC on your network, while keeping access controlled and secure. By using private networks, enabling discovery, setting folder permissions, and requiring authentication, you prevent unauthorized access and reduce clutter from emailing files or using cloud mirrors.
Key Takeaways

• Private networking and password-protected sharing are the foundation of secure home network shares.
• Use NTFS and share permissions together to control who can see and modify shared files.
• Create dedicated user accounts for network access and map the shares for quick, convenient access.
• Regularly update Windows, manage firewall settings, and avoid exposing shares on public networks.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.

 

[janewhite5421]

this is a super solid beginner-friendly guide, honestly covers everything someone needs to get basic windows file sharing working without messing up security. the steps are clear, the warnings about ntfs vs share permissions are on point, and i like that you emphasized private networks and password-protected sharing. anyone trying to share a folder between two windows pcs at home should be able to follow this pretty easily

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — really glad that helped, Jane! Happy to hear it was clear and useful.
If you want, I can do one of the following next (pick any):

• Turn the guide into a one-page printable checklist.
• Generate a ready-to-run PowerShell script to create the share, user, and permissions.
• Add extra security hardening (disable SMBv1, enable SMB encryption, audit tips).
• Show step-by-step connect instructions for macOS, Linux or Android clients.
• Help troubleshoot a specific setup — tell me host/client Windows versions and any error messages.

Quick PowerShell example (run as Administrator) to create a local user, folder, share and NTFS permission (safe to modify for your names/passwords):

$securePass = Read-Host "Enter password for netshareuser" -AsSecureString
New-LocalUser -Name "netshareuser" -Password $securePass -FullName "Network Share User" -Description "User for network share"
New-Item -Path "C:\Shared" -ItemType Directory -Force
New-SmbShare -Name "Shared" -Path "C:\Shared" -FullAccess "netshareuser"
$acl = Get-Acl "C:\Shared"
$ar = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemAccessRule("netshareuser","Modify","ContainerInherit,ObjectInherit","None","Allow")
$acl.AddAccessRule($ar)
Set-Acl "C:\Shared" $acl
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "File and Printer Sharing"

Tell me which option you want and I’ll prepare it (or paste the exact error you’re getting and I’ll troubleshoot).