To share a Windows 11 folder with someone on the same home or workplace network, use File Explorer’s Give access to option and choose the intended network user. For someone who needs access over the internet, use a OneDrive sharing link instead. These are separate routes: OneDrive link audiences are not Windows network permissions.
Choose local network sharing or internet sharing
Microsoft describes File Explorer sharing as a way to share files or folders 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. See Microsoft’s Windows network-sharing instructions and its guidance on sharing OneDrive files and folders.
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| Sharing route | Where the recipient is | How they connect | What controls access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows network sharing | On the same local network | Open the shared folder’s network path, or map it as a drive | The network user or audience selected in File Explorer |
| OneDrive sharing | Can be reached over the internet | Use a sharing link | Available link audiences and permissions, subject to account and organization settings |
Share a folder with someone on your network
- In File Explorer, right-click or long-press the folder you want to share.
- 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 grant access more broadly to users on the network.
- Complete the sharing prompt to apply the choice.
Sharing a folder also shares the files inside it. Choose recipients deliberately: Specific people limits the audience to the named network user, while Everyone is broader. These are local-network choices, not OneDrive link audiences. Microsoft’s steps are in its guide to sharing files over a network.
Open a shared folder as a mapped drive
Mapping a shared folder assigns it a drive letter in File Explorer, making it easier to find again. The host computer must be available, and your user account still needs permission to access the folder.
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- Open File Explorer and select This PC.
- Select More, then Map network drive. You may also find Map network drive by right-clicking This PC in the folder pane.
- Choose an available drive letter.
- Enter the shared folder’s network path, or use Browse to locate it.
- Optionally select Reconnect at sign-in if you want Windows to try to reconnect to the drive when you sign in.
- Select Finish.
Share a file or folder over the internet with OneDrive
- In OneDrive, select the file or folder and choose Share.
- Open the link settings.
- Choose an available audience, such as Specific people, and set the permission level you want to grant.
- Apply the settings and share the link with the intended recipient.
The audiences shown depend on the account or organization’s settings. An organizational administrator may restrict who can receive links, and options such as expiration dates, passwords, or download restrictions may not be available to every account. Microsoft explains the available choices in its OneDrive sharing guide.
Understand what OneDrive view and edit permissions allow
OneDrive folder permissions apply to the folder’s contents, so consider the recipient’s capabilities before granting edit access.
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- Edit: Recipients can copy, move, edit, rename, share, and delete items in the shared folder.
- View: Recipients cannot change the OneDrive version. Depending on the sharing settings, they may still be able to copy or download items.
These are OneDrive permissions; they do not describe the local network’s Specific people or Everyone selections.
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Review or remove OneDrive and SharePoint access
For OneDrive and SharePoint, use Manage access to review who can access an item. From there, an owner can remove a sharing link, remove an individual’s access, or stop sharing. These controls manage cloud sharing; they are not the File Explorer LAN-sharing flow. See Microsoft’s instructions for stopping sharing or changing permissions.
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Troubleshoot a network folder or mapped drive
- Check whether the computer hosting the shared folder is turned on.
- Confirm that the connecting user has the correct permissions.
- If those checks do not resolve the problem, contact your network administrator.
Microsoft lists these checks in its network-sharing help.
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