To share a folder with another Windows PC on the same home or workplace network, use File Explorer’s Give access to option and choose who can connect. If the recipient needs access over the internet, use a OneDrive sharing link instead; cloud link audiences are not the same as Windows network permissions.
Choose local network sharing or internet sharing
Microsoft describes File Explorer sharing as a way to share files over a local area network (LAN), such as between computers on the same home or workplace network. For sharing over the internet, Microsoft directs users to OneDrive. The two routes use different access controls: a network share is reached through a network location, while OneDrive recipients use a sharing link.
| Sharing route | When to use it | How the recipient connects | Who controls access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows network share | The recipient is using a device on the same local network. | Open the shared network folder, or map it to a drive letter in File Explorer. | The folder’s sharing choices, including a named network user or Everyone. |
| OneDrive link | The recipient needs internet access to the file or folder. | Open the sharing link and sign in or meet any link conditions that apply. | The link audience and permission settings available for the account; an organization administrator may restrict them. |
Share a folder with people on your local network
Use this route when the other person or device is on the same home or workplace network. Sharing a folder also shares the files inside it, so choose recipients and access deliberately.
- In File Explorer, right-click the file or folder you want to share. On a touchscreen, long-press it.
- Select Show more options, then Give access to, then Specific people.
- Choose the network user who should have access. Select Everyone only if you intend to allow the broader group of users on the network.
- Complete the sharing prompts to apply the selection.
Choose Specific people when access should be limited to a named network user. Everyone is a broader audience choice, not a way to share with a particular person. These LAN choices do not set the audience for a OneDrive link.
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Map the shared folder as a network drive
Mapping gives the shared folder a drive letter in File Explorer, making it easier to find again. It does not grant access by itself: the hosting PC must be available and your user account must have permission to the share.
- On the PC that will connect, open File Explorer and select This PC.
- Select More, then Map network drive. Depending on the File Explorer layout, you may also find this command by right-clicking This PC in the folder pane.
- Choose an available drive letter.
- Enter the shared folder’s network path, or select Browse to locate it.
- If you want Windows to reconnect to the folder when you sign in, select Reconnect at sign-in.
- Select Finish.
Share a folder over the internet with OneDrive
For someone who is not connecting through the same local network, share from OneDrive rather than treating a LAN share as an internet link.
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- In OneDrive, select the file or folder and choose Share.
- Open the link settings.
- Choose an audience, such as Specific people, or another option offered by your account or organization.
- Set the permission level and create or send the link using the available controls.
Available audiences and controls vary. Passwords, expiration dates, and download restrictions may depend on account type or subscription, and an organization administrator can limit which audiences are allowed.
Understand what OneDrive view and edit permissions allow
Edit access
People with Edit permission on a shared OneDrive folder can copy, move, edit, rename, share, and delete items in that folder. Grant edit access only when the recipient needs those capabilities.
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View access
View-only recipients cannot change the OneDrive version of the shared content. Depending on the sharing settings, they may still be able to copy or download it, so view-only should not be treated as a guarantee that content cannot leave the recipient’s device.
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For OneDrive and SharePoint, use Manage access to review who can access an item. Depending on the access type, you can remove a sharing link, remove a person’s access, or stop sharing. These are cloud access-management controls; they do not manage Windows LAN sharing permissions.
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Troubleshoot a network share or mapped drive
- Check the host PC: Make sure the computer hosting the shared folder is turned on.
- Check permissions: Confirm the connecting user has the correct permissions for the shared folder.
- Ask the network administrator: If those checks do not resolve the connection problem, Microsoft recommends contacting the network administrator.
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