Network Sharing

Control file and printer sharing on your home network — and turn it off cleanly on public Wi-Fi.

What it does

Windows' sharing settings — who can see your PC, whether the Public folder is available, whether SMB1 is on — are spread across several control-panel pages. Network Sharing consolidates them into one page, with three quick-setup presets and a full list of fine-grained toggles.

Network Profile

Windows tags every network you join as either Private (home, trusted) or Public (coffee shop, airport, hotel). Sharing settings are stricter on Public networks by default, which is a good thing. You can see the current profile at the top of the page and change it with the dropdown.

Quick Setup presets

Share Files with My Home Network

One click turns on file sharing, network discovery, and the Public folder, disables SMB1, and keeps password protection on. The sensible default for a home PC.

Invisible on Network

Turns off every form of sharing and discovery. Your PC becomes invisible to other devices on the network. Use this when connecting to untrusted Wi-Fi.

Compatible with Old Printer/NAS

Enables SMB1 (the ancient file-sharing protocol) to talk to older network-attached storage and network printers that can't speak modern SMB. Only use on a fully trusted home network — SMB1 has known security weaknesses.

The individual toggles

File Sharing — lets other devices access folders you've shared.
Network Discovery — makes your PC visible in Explorer's Network view.
Discovery Auto-Setup — lets Windows automatically configure network devices.
Public Folder Sharing — exposes the shared Public folders.
Password-Protected Sharing — requires a valid Windows login for access. Keep this on unless you have a specific reason.
SMB1 — the legacy protocol. Off is safer; on is compatible with older gear.
Media Streaming — enables the Windows Media Server for DLNA-compatible devices (smart TVs, Xbox, etc.).

The status panel

The right side of the page shows a live view of:

How many devices are visible on the network.
Whether your PC is visible to others.
Which folders you have shared (and with whom).

Click View Details to drill into any of these for more information.

Traveling with a laptop? Before connecting to hotel Wi-Fi or a public hotspot, click Invisible on Network. When you're home again, click Share Files with My Home Network to restore.

SMB1 is a security liability — it's how the WannaCry ransomware spread in 2017. Keep it off unless you absolutely need it for an old device. Newer printers and NAS boxes made after 2010 all speak SMB2/3 and don't require SMB1.