Forum Discussion
SMB file share not accessible unless I disable password protected sharing?
I have two Windows 11 PCs on the same network. I shared a folder and enabled network discovery and file sharing. However, when I try to access the shared folder from the other PC, I get a login prompt, and no credentials work—not even the host PC’s username/password.
Only after disabling Password Protected Sharing in advanced sharing settings can I access it. But I don’t want open access.
Is there a way to keep password protection ON and still make it work properly?
Yes, you can keep Password Protected Sharing enabled and still access the shared folder — it just requires matching user credentials.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. On the PC that’s sharing the folder, make sure there's a local user account with a password.
2. From the second PC, when prompted for credentials, enter that username and password. If it doesn't work, try entering it as PCName\Username.
3. If you want to avoid repeated prompts, add the credentials manually via Credential Manager:
- Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.
- Choose Windows Credentials > Add a Windows credential.
- For the network address, enter \\PCName, then the username and password you created on the host machine.
This way, you don’t have to disable password protection, and access remains secure.
1 Reply
Yes, you can keep Password Protected Sharing enabled and still access the shared folder — it just requires matching user credentials.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. On the PC that’s sharing the folder, make sure there's a local user account with a password.
2. From the second PC, when prompted for credentials, enter that username and password. If it doesn't work, try entering it as PCName\Username.
3. If you want to avoid repeated prompts, add the credentials manually via Credential Manager:
- Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.
- Choose Windows Credentials > Add a Windows credential.
- For the network address, enter \\PCName, then the username and password you created on the host machine.
This way, you don’t have to disable password protection, and access remains secure.