How to Change Network from Public to Private in Regedit

This guide explains how to switch your Windows network location profile from Public to Private using the Registry Editor (Regedit). While this setting is typically managed through the Windows Settings app or PowerShell, using Regedit provides a direct, foolproof way to modify network profiles when standard interface options are missing, grayed out, or failing to apply.

Step-by-Step Guide: Changing Network Profile via Registry

1. Open the Registry Editor

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type regedit and press Enter (or click OK).
  3. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to grant administrative privileges.

In the Registry Editor address bar at the top, paste the following path and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles

Alternatively, expand the folders in the left sidebar to reach the Profiles key manually.

3. Identify Your Network

Under the Profiles key, you will see one or more subkeys named with unique GUIDs (long strings of letters and numbers enclosed in brackets, such as {A1B2C3D4-...}).

  1. Click on each GUID subkey one by one.
  2. Look at the ProfileName string in the right-hand pane.
  3. Find the key where the ProfileName matches the name of your current active network connection (e.g., your Wi-Fi SSID or “Network 1”).

4. Change the Profile Category

  1. With the correct GUID key selected, double-click the Category DWORD (32-bit) value in the right-hand pane.
  2. Change the Value data field to 1.
    • 0 = Public Network
    • 1 = Private Network
    • 2 = Domain Network
  3. Click OK to save the changes.

5. Apply the Changes

  1. Close the Registry Editor.
  2. Disconnect and reconnect to your network, or restart your computer for the changes to take full effect.

Once applied, your network profile will operate as Private, allowing device discovery, file sharing, and printer sharing across your local network.