Homegroup - Leave in Windows 8

How to Leave a Homegroup in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

A homegroup is a group of PCs on a home network that can share devices (such as printers), and libraries (such as your Documents, Pictures, Music, and Video libraries). Using a homegroup makes sharing easier. Your homegroup is protected with a password, which you can change at any time.

If you decide that you no longer want to belong to a homegroup, you can leave it by removing your PC from it.

This tutorial will show you how to leave a homegroup that your Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, or Windows RT 8.1 PC is joined to.

   Note

• You can't delete a homegroup, but if all PCs leave the homegroup it will no longer exist. You can then create a new homegroup if you'd like.
• When you leave a homegroup, all user accounts on the PC also leave the homegroup.
• After you leave a homegroup, you will no longer be able to access the shared files and printers of the PCs still joined to the homegroup. The other PCs on the homegroup will also no longer be able to access your shared files and printers.

   Tip

If you can't leave the homegroup after trying OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO below, then:

1) Delete all files in the hidden C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\PeerNetworking folder on the PC you want to leave the homegroup.

2) Restart the PC.

3) Try OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO below again to see if you are able to leave the homegroup now.

OPTION ONE

To Leave a Homegroup using PC settings

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1. If you have not already, make sure that all PCs that are already in the homegroup you want to leave are turned on and not asleep.​

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2. Open PC settings, and do step 3 or 4 below depending on what Windows 8 you have.​

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3. If you have Windows 8 or Windows RT, click/tap on HomeGroup on the left side, click/tap on Leave on the bottom right side, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​

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4. If you have Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, click/tap on Network on the left side. (see screenshot below)​

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A) Click/tap on HomeGroup on the left side. (see screenshot below)​

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B) On the right side under HomeGroup, click/tap on the Leave button, and go to step 5 below.​

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5. When you are finished, you can close PC settings if you like.​

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OPTION TWO

To Leave a Homegroup using HomeGroup Control Panel

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1. If you have not already, make sure that all PCs that are already in the homegroup you want to leave are turned on and not asleep.​

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2. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the HomeGroup icon.​

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3. Click/tap on the Leave the homegroup link. (see screenshot below)​

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4. Click/tap on Leave the homegroup. (see screenshot below)​

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5. Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)​

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6. When finished, you can close the HomeGroup window if you like. (see screenshot below)​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Leave a Homegroup in Windows 7
• How to Remove Currently Unavailable PC you no longer have from Homegroup in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create a Homegroup in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Join a Homegroup in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to View the Homegroup Password in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change the Homegroup Password in Windows 8
• How to Change Homegroup Sharing Settings in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create a "HomeGroup Settings" Shortcut in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Add or Remove Homegroup Desktop Icon in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[zeroseven]

I get the message 'this computer cannot be removed from the homegroup......'

 

[Brink]

Hello zeroseven,

You might see if this may be able to help.

Solved Cannot leave Homegroup - Windows 7 Forums

 

[zeroseven]

Thanks for that Brink, much appreciated. It took me a while to go through that systematically (and pretty sure I followed it on Win 8 as well as possible), but it didn't help. I've now completed my third clean reinstall and suffered the PIA inconvenience that goes with it. Finally it seems to be ok.

I almost dare not use the bloody computer now for fear that something else will fail......

 

[Brink]

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted. To bad it took a clean install.

You might create a restore point before you do anything that affects the system. This way if it has a negative affect, you could just quickly do a system restore to undo it without losing anything.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

User accounts are not deleted, they just leave the home group, correct, I won't have my custom standard account abruptly removed ? I have one folder that is shared between machines, how can I know if it is using a home group or not ?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jerome,

Correct. Leaving the homegroup will not delete any user accounts. It will only disconnect the user account from the homegroup.

You will be able to tell if you are joined to the homegroup or not.

You can share files through the homegroup or workgroup though, so if you leave the homegroup and still able to share the file, then you know it's with the workgroup.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/9990-file-sharing-share-stop-sharing-windows-8-a.html

 

[JerometheGiraff]

Is there a way I can tell if a shared folder is part of a home group or workgroup ?

 

[Brink]

You could check to see what the file shared with like the screenshot under step 6 in OPTION TWO in the tutorial I posted above.

Your account will be listed by default as the owner.

If you see "Homegroup" listed, then it's shared with the homegroup.

If you see any other user listed, then it's also shared with that user via the workgroup.