How to Set Up an SMB Shared Folder in Windows 11

Setting up a Server Message Block (SMB) network share on Windows 11 allows you to seamlessly share files and folders with other computers, mobile devices, or media servers on your local network. This guide covers how to prepare your network settings, configure folder permissions for local network users, and connect to the newly created share from another device.

Step 1: Configure Network Sharing Settings

Before sharing specific folders, ensure your network profile and sharing discovery settings are properly configured.

1. Open Settings on Windows 11 (press Win + I).
2. Navigate to Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings.
3. Under Private networks, ensure the following options are turned On:
   • Network discovery
   • File and printer sharing
4. Under All networks:
   • Set Public folder sharing to On (optional, if you want to use the public folder).
   • Verify Password-protected sharing is turned On (recommended for security) or Off (to allow anyone on the network to access shares without a local Windows account).

Step 2: Set Up the SMB Shared Folder

1. Open File Explorer and locate the folder you want to share.
2. Right-click the folder and select Properties.
3. Go to the Sharing tab and click Advanced Sharing.
4. Check the box for Share this folder.
5. Give the share a Share name (by default, it uses the folder name).
6. Click Permissions:
   • Select Everyone (or click Add to specify specific local user accounts).
   • Under Permissions for Everyone, check Allow for Read (view files) and/or Full Control / Change (view, edit, and delete files).
7. Click Apply, then OK.

Step 3: Configure Security (NTFS) Permissions

Network sharing requires both SMB permissions and NTFS file permissions to match.

1. In the same folder Properties window, go to the Security tab.
2. Click Edit to change permissions.
3. Click Add, type the name of the user account you want to grant access to (or type Everyone), and click Check Names.
4. Click OK.
5. Select the user or group in the list, then check the necessary boxes under Allow (e.g., Read & execute, List folder contents, Read, or Modify).
6. Click Apply, then OK, and close the folder properties.

Step 4: Find Your Computer’s Network Name or IP Address

To connect from another device, you need your PC’s IP address or host name.

1. Open Terminal or Command Prompt (press Win + X and select Terminal).
2. Type ipconfig and press Enter.
3. Note your IPv4 Address (e.g., 192.168.1.50).

Step 5: Connect to the Shared Folder

• From another Windows PC:
  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. In the address bar, type \\<IP_Address>\<Share_Name> (e.g., \\192.168.1.50\MySharedFolder) and press Enter.
  3. Enter the username and password of the host Windows 11 PC if prompted.
• From macOS:
  1. Open Finder and press Cmd + K.
  2. Enter smb://<IP_Address>/<Share_Name>.
  3. Click Connect and authenticate with your Windows credentials.
• From iOS or Android:
  1. Use a file manager app that supports SMB (such as the default Files app on iOS).
  2. Add a new server connection using smb://<IP_Address> and authenticate with your Windows account.