How to "Share with" and "Stop Sharing" Files and Folders on a Network or Shared PC in Windows 8
InformationThis tutorial will show you how to set folders and drives in Windows 8 to share with or stop sharing the files in them with people on your network (homegroup, workgroup, or domain) or on a PC that you share with other users.
Tip- It's best to use HomeGroup for home (private) networks unless you need to connect PCs running Vista or XP to the network. PCs must be running Windows 7 or Windows 8 to participate in a homegroup.
- If you want to share files and folders with everyone who has a user account and password on your PC, you can just put the items you want to share in the Public folders.
- If you are in a homegroup network, then you can view all your shared items in your computer name under Homegroup in the navigation pane of File Explorer.
- If you are in a workgroup or domain (private) network, then you can view all your shared items in your computer name under Network in the navigation pane of File Explorer.
- If the items you've shared don't appear under Network, you can customize your view of folders in File Explorer to see which items have been shared and the people you're sharing them with. Open a folder that contains the items that you think are shared, add the columns Shared and Shared with to be able to quickly see what is shared or not.
NoteSharing Items on a Network Requirements:
- PCs need to be in the same homegroup or workgroup, and that each PC has a unique computer name.
- If your PC is in a workgroup, use the same user name and password combination on each PC.
- Check Use Sharing Wizard in View tab of Folder Options.
- Turn on network discovery.
- Turn on file and printer sharing.
- If you have a home (private) network and a PC that’s a member of a domain (for example, if you bring home a work laptop), you can access items that are on your home PCs using your work laptop, but not the other way around. Make sure the user accounts on the home PC have passwords. To access items using your work laptop, you might need to enter the user name as home PC name\user name and then provide the password.
- PCs need to be turned on and awake for their shared items to be available.
OPTION ONE
To Set Your Folders and Libraries to "Share with" or "Stop Sharing"
1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for what you would like to do.
2. In File Explorer, right click or press and hold a library or folder, click/tap on Share with, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
3. In File Explorer, select (highlight) a library or folder, click/tap on the Share tab on the ribbon, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
4. In File Explorer, right click or press and hold a folder or a C:\Users\Public folder, click/tap on Properties.
A) Click/tap on the Sharing tab, and do step 4B or 4C below. (see screenshot below)
B) Under Network File and Folder Sharing, click/tap on the Share button, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can see under Network Path if this folder is currently being shared or not. If the Share button is grayed out, then this is a system folder and you will need to use step 4C below instead.
OR
C) Under Advanced Sharing, click/tap on the Advanced Sharing button, and go to step 6 in OPTION TWO below. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this step.
5. Select the file sharing option you would like to do. (see screenshots below steps 2 and 3)
Note- To stop sharing this item with all users and networks, select Stop Sharing.
- To share items with a particular person (local or network), choose that person's account (ex: Standard).
- To share with all the members of your homegroup, choose one of the Homegroup options to (create or join a homegroup), only (view) items, or (view and edit) items.
- To select to share or not share items with other people who have accounts on your PC, in your private network (ex: workgroup), or in your homegroup, choose the Specific people option, and go to step 6 below.
A) If you didn't select Specific people, then that's all you need to do.
6. Do step 7, 8, or 9 below for what you would like to do. (see screenshot below)
7. To Add People to Share this Folder or Library With
A) Click/tap on the arrow at the top, and select someone you want to add. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on the Add button, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)
8. To Change Sharing Permissions of Added People for this Folder or Library
A) Click/tap on the name of the person you want to change the permission level of, select the level you want, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)
9. To Remove People to Stop Sharing this Folder or Library With
A) Click/tap on the name of the person you want to stop sharing with, select Remove, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot above)
10. Repeat step 7, 8, or 9 above if you would like to make any more changes to the file sharing settings of this folder or library.
11. When finished, click/tap on the Share button at the bottom. (see screenshots below step 7B or 8A)
12. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes (if administrator) or enter an administrator's password (if standard user).
NOTE: You will only be prompted by UAC if the folder location is not in your C:\Users\(user-name) folder.
13. If this is a shared folder, then click/tap on Done. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You will now see the network link of the shared folder that you can email, or copy if you wanted to create a shortcut of it.
OPTION TWO
To Set Drives and System Folders to "Share with" or "Stop Sharing"
NOTE: You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option. This option uses advanced sharing settings to share or not share everthing on a drive, and/or to share or not share items in a system folder (ex: "Public" folders, Program Files, Users, Windows, System32, etc...).
1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for what you would like to do.
2. In File Explorer, right click or press and hold a drive, system folder, or a C:\Users\Public folder, click/tap on Share with, click/tap on Advanced Sharing, and go step 5 below. (see screenshots below)
3. In File Explorer, select (highlight) a system folder or a C:\Users\Public folder, click/tap on the Share tab on the ribbon, click/tap on Advanced Sharing in the ribbon, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshots below step 2)
4. In File Explorer, right click or press and hold a drive, system folder, or a C:\Users\Public folder, click/tap on Properties. (see screenshots below step 2)
5. Click/tap on the Sharing tab, and click/tap on the Advanced Sharing button. (see screenshots below)
6. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes (if administrator) or enter an administrator's password (if standard user).
7. Do step 8 or 9 below for what you would like to do. (see screenshot below)
8. To Stop Sharing this Folder or Drive with Everyone
A) Uncheck the Share this folder box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 7)
B) If prompted, click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)
9. To Share this Folder or Drive
A) Check the Share this folder box. (see screenshot below step 7)
B) Select or type the number of users you want to limit to be able to simultaneously access this shared item at once. (see screenshot below step 7)
C) If you like, type in any comments to help you know what this share is about for furture reference. (see screenshot below step 7)
NOTE: You could type whatever you like though.
D) Click/tap on the Permissions button. (see screenshot below step 7)
E) Add (share) or Remove (not share) users and/or groups for those you want to be able to share this item or not with. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: For more on how, see step 8 and 9 in OPTION TWO at this link: How to Allow or Deny Access Permisions to Users and Groups in Windows 8
F) When finished with step 9E above, check or uncheck the Allow or Deny share permissions you wish to give to the added users and/or groups for how they will be able to access this shared item, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: Deny will override Allow. Be careful to do not "deny" ""Everyone" since this will include your account.
G) Click/tap on the Caching button to adjust Offline Settings for this shared item. (see screenshot below step 7)
H) Select (dot) which files and programs, if any, you want to be available to users who are offline from this shared item, and click/tap OK. (see screenshot below step 7)
I) When finished, click/tap on OK, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below step 7)
10. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 5)
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
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- How to Turn "File and Printer Sharing" On or Off for Networks in Windows 8
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