Doing so will enable you to access the same shared folders on different PCs.

What does mapping a network drive accomplish?

When a folder is shared on a local network, you can find it by entering its network address (path) within File Explorer. However, it’s better to map a network drive. By doing so, you can access shared folders on your alternative computers much the same as local ones. Mapped drives provide handy shortcuts for accessing shared folders that are stored on a different PC within a local network. When you establish a mapped drive for a shared folder, it will be visible within This PC in File Explorer for quick and easy access. Windows 11 includes the same Map Network Drive tool as its predecessors with which you can set up mapped drives. You can also set up a mapped drive via the Command Prompt in Windows 11. This is how you can map a network drive in Windows 11 with those methods.

How can I map a network drive in Windows 11?

1. Utilize the Map Network Drive utility

2. Map a network drive with the Command Prompt

You’ll need to replace DLetter in that command with an actual drive letter and PATH with a real network folder location. With a drive letter and network path specified, the command will look more like this:

How do I enable network discovery for mapping drives?

You’ll need to have network discovery enabled on both the PC you’re using and the one that includes the shared folders. SPONSORED Even more, you must have network discovery enabled in Windows 11 to map a drive. Network discovery makes devices on your local network discoverable so they can find each other. This is how you can enable that feature.

How can I set up a shared folder?

You can only include shared folders for mapped drives. When a folder is shared, it will have a local network path you can enter in File Explorer to view it. This is how you can set up a shared folder in Windows 11: Keep in mind that you should see a network path specified on the folder’s Sharing tab when it’s shared.

How come Windows can’t access the network location?

If Windows can’t access the mapped drive’s location with network discovery turned on, you might need to enable SMB (Server Message Block). SMB is a protocol that needs to be enabled for drive mapping. This is how you can enable SMB within Windows 11: It’s relatively straightforward to set up mapped drives in Windows 11 with the Map Network Drive utility. You can also set up mapped drives with that tool in Windows 10 and 7 platforms, not to mention that you can map network drives over VPN. Map Network Drive hasn’t changed much in the latest platform. Users who often utilize the Command Prompt might prefer method two. There are also various other net use commands that you can enter to set up and configure mapped drives. Overall, drive mapping is a handy network feature in Windows. With a mapped drive set up, you’ll have more direct access to its shared folder in File Explorer. So, it’s a good idea to set up mapped drives for shared folders if you need to share files between two, or more, local PCs. Let us know your opinion in the comments area below.

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