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Windows 11 Shared Folder Not Accessible: How to Fix it
6 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Modern computing has brought forth many valuable features and created a new standard where we expect things to always work without fail. Because of this universal standard, it can be incredibly frustrating when something as basic as a shared folder on a network suddenly stops working.
The inability to access shared folders is a problem thatplagued Windows 10 users years ago. Back then, some of the solutions to the problem were enabling network discovery and ensuring network services were working.
Fortunately, fixing the inability to access a shared folder is relatively simple. Even Windows 11 will help you out by showing a Network Error where the OS will tell you to check the spelling of the shared folder’s name.
Most of the time, getting the name right is all it takes to gain access to a shared, but other times, it requires a finer touch.
Why can’t I access the shared folder?
There can be a multitude of reasons as to why a shared folder won’t work. There could be a wrongly configured network, incorrect drive settings, and a misspelling above the folder’s name.
And in some cases, the user account behind the folder has inappropriate permission settings.
Before going through the fixes in this guide, it’s recommended that you first talk to whoever is in control of the shared folder. Perhaps some oversight prevents people from having access to the shared folder, like they forgot to enable permissions.However, if you are the person who is in control of the shared folder, you’ll have to reconfigure and grant network-sharing permissions to facilitate that access. This may also help whenNAS is not showing under the Network tab.
This guide will go through different processes that you can try out to fix this shared folder issue.
How do I fix the Cannot Access Shared Folder error?
1. Reconfigure network Sharing permissions
2. Grant security permissions
3. Disable the Password Protected Sharing option
4. Enable File and Printer Settings
What are some other basic functionalities on Windows 11 that may fail?
Shared folders aren’t the only basic functionality that can fail on Windows 11. Microsoft is constantly working onfixing bugs and delivering patches to Windows 11.
Case in point: sleep mode on Windows 11. Sleep mode allows you to put the computer in a low-power state to conserve electricity while running some of its functions.
It could be as simple as turning sleep mode on manually, but other times it requires you to change some settings.
And in case you didn’t know,Windows 11 has a built-in VPN functionalitythat some have reported not working. Fixing the OS’s VPN is as simple as updating the computer, but tougher situations require reinstalling WAN network adapters.
In the past, there have been some cases ofWi-Fi networks randomly disappearing on Windows 11computers or someapps on the OS simply not working.
Most of the time, a simple restart solves everyone, but other times, there is needs to be a proper solution.
Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about other Windows 11 problems or bugs. And leave comments about guides that you’d like to see or information on Windows 11 features.
More about the topics:Fix network issues,Windows 11
Cesar Cadenas
Networking & Security Specialist
Cesar has been writing for and about technology going on for 6 years when he first started writing tech articles for his university paper. Since then, his passion for technology blossomed into a prosperous writing career. He first started writing about tech in the entertainment world and would later move on to write about smart life tech and social media. He was recently a Technical Writer for tech company Extron where he wrote user guides for audio and video equipment.
He has since moved on to being a freelance writer looking to have a career in copywriting and hopes to share his love and knowledge of technology with the world. Recently, Cesar has written for the cryptocurrency news site, BTCPro and helping people understand tech.
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Cesar Cadenas
Networking & Security Specialist
Cesar is a tech expert passionate about Windows, Microsoft, and anything surrounding the world of PCs.
