File sharing over a network in Windows 10

In Windows 10, some features of file and folder sharing over a network have changed, including the removal of HomeGroup. Read on for answers to common questions about other changes to file and folder sharing in Windows 10.

To share a file or folder in File Explorer, do one of the following:

Right-click or press a file, select Give access to > Specific people.

Select a file, select the Share tab at the top of File Explorer, and then in the Share with section select Specific people.

If you select multiple files at once, you can share them all in the same way. It works for folders, too—share a folder, and all files in it will be shared.

To stop sharing in File Explorer, do one of the following:

Right-click or press a file or folder, then select Give access to > Remove access.

Select a file or folder, select the Share tab at the top of File Explorer, and then in the Share with section select Remove access.

File Explorer shows the «Remove access» option («Stop sharing» in older versions of Windows 10) for all files, even those that aren’t being shared over a network.

Open File Explorer, then type \\localhost into the address bar.

Note: When you’ve shared a file from a folder in your user profile and you go to \\localhost, you’ll see your user profile and all its files there. This doesn’t mean that all of your files are shared—just that you have access to all your own files.

If you open File Explorer, go to Network, and see an error message («Network discovery is turned off….»), you’ll need to turn on Network discovery to see devices on the network that are sharing files. To turn it on, select the Network discovery is turned off banner, then select Turn on network discovery and file sharing.

To troubleshoot problems with sharing files or folders, follow the steps below on all computers from which you’re trying to share.

Make sure the computers are on the same network. For example, if your computers connect to the internet through a wireless router, make sure they all connect through the same wireless router.

If you’re on a Wi-Fi network, set it to Private. To find out how, read Make a Wi-Fi network public or private in Windows 10.

Turn on network discovery and file and printer sharing, and turn off password protected sharing.

Select the Start button, then select Settings > Network & Internet , and on the right side, select Sharing options.

Under Private, select Turn on Network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing.

Under All Networks, select Turn off password protected sharing.

Make sharing services start automatically.

Press the Windows logo key + R.

In the Run dialog box, type services.msc, and then select OK.

Right-click each of the following services, select Properties, if they’re not running, select Start, and next to Startup type, select Automatic:

Use Shared Folders in Windows Server Essentials

Applies To: Windows Server 2016 Essentials, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, Windows Server 2012 Essentials

Windows Server Essentials provides a central location for all of your data and files through the shared folders that are located on your server.

There are several different ways that you can access your shared folders on Windows Server Essentials from a device that is connected to the server:

Using the Windows Server Essentials Launchpad

You can use the Launchpad from any computer that is connected to the server by using the Connect My Computer to the Server Wizard. For more information about connecting your computer to the server, see Connect computers to the server.

After you connect your computer to the server, a Launchpad shortcut is added to the notification area of your desktop. Double-click the Launchpad icon and enter your network credentials to access shared folders by using the Launchpad. Using the shared folders link on the Launchpad, you can upload or download files to any of the shared folders that are listed by dragging and dropping files between the local computer and the shared folders. Shared folders enable you to stream music and videos, play slideshows, or record TV programs on any computer that is connected to the server, or you can play a slide show to view pictures.

For more information about the Launchpad, see Launchpad Overview.

Copy or move shared files or folders using the Launchpad

When you want to copy or move shared files on Windows Server Essentials by using the Launchpad, click the Shared Folders tab in the Launchpad.

If you want to move a file or folder from one location to another in Shared Folders, you can use the drag-and-drop method in the same way as you would move files and folders on your computer. Open the folder that contains the file or folder that you want to move. Then open the folder where you want to move it to in a different window. Position the windows side-by-side on the desktop so that you can see the contents of both, and then drag the file or folder from the first folder to the second folder.

When using the drag-and-drop method, you might notice that sometimes the file or folder is copied, and at other times it is moved. If you are dragging an item between two folders that are stored on the same hard disk, the item is moved so that two copies of the same file or folder aren’t created in the same location. If you drag the item to a folder that is in a different location (such as another computer) or to removable media such as a USB flash drive, the item is copied.

If you want to copy files or folders from one location to another in Shared Folders, you can use the copy and paste method in the same way as you would copy files on your computer. Open the folder that contains the files that you want to copy. Right-click the files that you want to copy, and then click Copy. Right-click the folder where you want to paste the copied files, and then click Paste.

Using Remote Web Access

You can access shared files and folders from any remote computer by using the Remote Web Access website. From a computer within the server network, to access the Remote Web Access website, open the Internet browser and type https:// /remote. Using Remote Web Access, you can view and manage files on the shared folders. For step-by-step instructions, see Use Remote Web Access.

You can access shared files and folders from any remote computer by using the Remote Web Access website. From a computer within the server network, to access the Remote Web Access website, open the Internet browser and type https:// /remote. Using Remote Web Access, you can view and manage files on the shared folders. For step-by-step instructions, see Use Remote Web Access.

Remote Web Access on the server must be turned on in order to access the Remote Web Access website. For information about managing Remote Web Access, see Manage Remote Web Access.

Create, rename, move, delete, or copy files and folders in Remote Web Access

You can use Remote Web Access to create new folders in an existing shared folder, to rename files and folders, to move or copy files and folders, and to delete files and folders on your server. For more information, see the section Create, rename, move, delete, or copy files and folders in Remote Web Access? in the topic Use Remote Web Access.

Upload and download files in Remote Web Access

On the Remote Web Access Shared Folders tab, you can upload and download files. For more information, see the section Upload and download files in Remote Web Access? in the topic Use Remote Web Access.

You can use Remote Web Access to create new folders in an existing shared folder, to rename files and folders, to move or copy files and folders, and to delete files and folders on your server. For more information, see the section Create, rename, move, delete, or copy files and folders in Remote Web Access? in the topic Use Remote Web Access.

Upload and download files in Remote Web Access

On the Remote Web Access Shared Folders tab, you can upload and download files. For more information, see the section Upload and download files in Remote Web Access? in the topic Use Remote Web Access.

Using My Server app for Windows Phone

You can access shared folders through your Windows Phone by using the My Server app for Windows Phone. You can download this app from the Marketplace for Windows Phone.

Using My Server app for Windows 8

You can access shared folders through Windows 8 by using the My Server app for Windows 8. You can download this app from the Windows 8 App store.

Как перенести общие папки(shared folders) Windows.

Общие папки в Windows — это, говоря по простому, папки, которые доступны по сети. Эти папки имеют свои разрешения(чтение, изменение и т.д. для разных пользователей(групп).

Часто администраторам приходится сталкиваться с вопросом о переносе этих папок(например, при переезде на другой сервер, переустановке операционной системы и т.д). Конечно, можно просто скопировать папки на новый сервер и заново назначить разрешения на папки, но это не «камильфо», когда у вас много расшаренных папок и на них выставлены разрешения для кучи пользователей.

Если перед вами встал вопрос Как перенести общие папки, то вот вариант:

Как перенести общие папки(shared folders) Windows.

Перенести shared folders можно с помощью экспорта и последующего импорта куста реестра(папки, естественно, нужно перенести на другой «целевой» сервер).

1. Откройте редактор реестра, набрав в строке поиска в Windows или Пуск -> Выполнить следующее: regedit.exe и нажмите Enter.
2. В открывшемся окне редактора реестра перейдите к HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Shares

3.Нажмите правой кнопкой Shares и в контекстном меню выберите «Экспортировать«.

4. Укажите место для сохранения файла и его имя(например shares)

После этого, в указанном месторасположении у вас появится файл shares.reg, который(как и папки с общим доступом), нужно скопировать на новый сервер и там импортировать(двойным кликом).

Теперь нужно выполнить две команды: net stop server, а потом net start server. Список существующих шар можно посмотреть командой net share.

После этого на новом сервере ваши общие папки будут иметь те же разрешения, что и были.

How to Find Shared Windows Folders

Access shared folders with other networked PCs

With Microsoft Windows, folders can be shared on a network so that desktops and laptops can access the files in these folders without physical access to the computer where the folders are stored. When a folder of documents or videos is shared, anyone with access can open, edit, save, and possibly delete the files and folders if the permissions allow it.

Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Where Do Shared Folders Go?

The easiest way to find a list of network shares is to use Windows Explorer.

Go to Windows Search and search for Network. Or, open Windows File Explorer, go to the Folders pane, and select Network.

Select the computer that has the shared folders you want to browse. In older versions of Windows, open Entire Network and select Microsoft Windows Network to see shares.

Any non-administrative Windows shares that are set on that computer appear in the left pane. If no items are shown, then nothing is shared. Folders that are shown in this window are linked to the shared folders.

The folder contents are the same as on the shared computer. However, the folder paths may differ if the person who shared the data chose a unique share name. For example, the path MYPC\Files\ with double backslashes points to the folder on the MYPC computer, but the actual folder path on that computer is C:\Backup\2018\Files\.

Use the Net Share Command

Use the net command to find the location of file shares, including administrative shares. In Command Prompt, enter the net share command to display the Share name that can be used to access the share plus the Resource, which is the share’s true location.

Shares with a dollar sign ($) at the end of the name are the administrative shares, which should not be modified. The root of every hard drive, the print driver folder, and C:\Windows\ are shared by default as administrative shares. You can open administrative shares only through the name+$ syntax with admin credentials, such as MYPC\C$ or MYPC\ADMIN$.

Is it possible to see all shared folder list in windows?

We have LAN connected different OS installed systems. If I want to see all shared folder list in windows 7 and its access level whether read or read and write, how and where can I see? Is there any option to stop all shared folders with a single click?

3 Answers 3

To view a list of all shared folders

• Click the Windows button
• Right-click Computer and choose Manage (requires administrative priveleges)
• Traverse to Computer Management > System Tools > Shared Folders > Shares

Note: in Windows 8 and 10 the Computer Management is easy accessible through the Windows key + x shortcut, as a part of the Power User Menu

To disable file sharing

• Click the Windows Logo button.
• Type file sharing in the search results window, and then touch Enter.
• Under «File and Printer Sharing», check to be sure that Turn off file and printer sharing is selected.
• Under «Public Folder Sharing», check to be sure that Turn off public folder sharing is selected.
• Click Save Changes.

Command Line Way

List All Shares

Stop Sharing a Folder

Stop Sharing All Folders

Write a script, and double-click it!

The following script will stop sharing sharename and Share Name 2 . Replace these with your own share names. Save as stopsharing.bat .

Note how share names with spaces in them must be enclosed by quotes.

Further Information

Learn about more features including how to add shares from the command line.

You can use Network Scanner. Tiny portable software, just input the range of ips you want to see.

SoftPerfect Network Scanner is a free multi-threaded IP, NetBIOS and SNMP scanner with a modern interface and many advanced features. It is intended for both system administrators and general users interested in computer security. The program pings computers, scans for listening TCP/UDP ports and displays which types of resources are shared on the network (including system and hidden).

In addition, it allows you to mount shared folders as network drives, browse them using Windows Explorer, filter the results list and more. SoftPerfect Network Scanner can also check for a user-defined port and report back if one is open. It can also resolve host names and auto-detect your local and external IP range. It supports remote shutdown and Wake-On-LAN.