How to Share Files and Printers Between Two Windows 10 Computers
Looking to share some documents, photos, videos or a printer with another person or with another computer on the same network? Older vision Windows 7 and 8.1 offer to create and manage a homegroup to share these items with other computers on the same network. But unfortunately, with the latest Windows 10, Microsoft retired homegroup feature and introduced nearby sharing feature that makes file and printer sharing easier. Here this post we’ walk you through the steps to share files and printers inside your local network on Windows 10.
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Share Files and Printers on Windows 10
Well with the latest Windows 10 Microsoft discontinued the Homegroup feature, Instead, the company wants you to start using new sharing features like Share, Nearby sharing, OneDrive, and the more advanced file and printer sharing options, which offer virtually the same experience, but using a different set of instructions.
Note: Given directions below are applicable to share files between Windows 10 computers using the Nearby Share feature.
Before start make sure you are running the latest Windows 10 version, you can check this using Winver command.
Enable Nearby Sharing on all the computers you want to share files
Open Settings and click System.
Select Shared experiences.
Scroll down and find Nearby sharing. Toggle the switch to On.
Set the dropdown below it to Everyone nearby.
Share Files in Windows 10
Open File Explorer using keyboard shortcut Windows + E
Now open the folder location with the files that you want to share.
Next select one, multiple, or all the files that you want to share with another person or computer.
And Click on the Share tab. Alternatively, you can right-click your selection and click the Share option in the context menu.
Choose the computer with which you want to share the file or photo
On your destination PC, you will see a desktop notification with Save & Open, Save and Decline options. Click Save, or Save & Open to save the file.
All received files are saved in the Downloads folder by default. But You can change it by navigating to Settings > System > Shared Experiences and then clicking the Change button under Save files I receive to section.
Transfer Files Via the Cloud
If you are looking for share files folders over the network that cause You can do this by sharing the file to any Windows app that supports services like Dropbox, or OneDrive, then save the file. You will then need to open that service in your browser to share the file with a people.
Sharing folders using File Explorer
Also, you can share multiple files in the local network using the File Explorer sharing options.
Right-click the folder, select the Give access too option, and click the Specific people option.
Next In the “Network access” wizard, use the drop-down menu and select the users that you want to share the folder and its content and click add.
Select option everyone to Shares the contents with anyone in the network without the need to enter a password to access the files. Also, you can here select individual existing accounts, the user must provide username and password of the account to access the files.
Now Under the “Permission Level” column, click the permissions button and specify the access privileges: where select Read Gives network users the ability to list and open files, but they won’t be able to modify or delete existing files and folders. Also, they won’t be able to upload or create new folders or files. Read/Write Allows to list, open, modify, delete, upload, and create new files and folders. And you can select remove to Blocks the specified user or group from accessing the folder and its contents.
And finally, click the share button to complete the process, Next you need to note down the shared folder path.
To access the shared folder:
On the destination computer from where you want to access the folder.
Press Windows + R, type \\ and the path for the shared folder (For example it’s \\DESKTOP-OPLFV1K/software) and click ok.
Share printers on Windows 10
Now let’s see how to share a printer on Windows 10 with other users on same network. Before start make sure to Turn on Printer Sharing in Windows 10.
Open control panel -> Network and internet then -> Network and sharing center.
Click on change advanced sharing center then select radio button turn on network discovery and File and printer sharing.
Now follow the steps below to share the local printer.
On start menu search type control panel and select the first result,
Click on hardware and sound then device and printers,
This will display all installed devices and printer list,
Right click on the printer (that want to share with other people or computer) and select properties,
Now move to the sharing tab and checkmark on share this printer
Additionally, you can change the shared printer name there as well.
Click apply and ok to complete the steps, Once done the printer will be available to network users while your computer is powered on.
Connect to Network printer
Now to connect clients to the shared printer on Windows 10 follow steps below.
Right-click on Start menu and select Settings app
Click on Devices then Printer & scanners.
Click the Add a printer or scanner button.
Select the printer from the list to add to the device and follow on-screen instructions.
If the printer discovery doesn’t work, then click The printer that I want isn’t listed option. And Choose the Select a shared printer by name option.
Next, you need to select the radio button to select a shared printer by name and type the path of the printer location. Also, you can click the Browse button to locate and select the shared printer.
Click next and install the driver (when prompted) once done click finish. And after completing the steps, you should be able to send a print job to the network printer successfully.
That’s all, hope this post help share files and printer between Windows 10 computers. Need help feel free to discuss the comment section.
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