If you cannot see other computers on your network in Windows 11/10, this guide will show you how to fix it. When you are connected to a network, then to view other computers in your Network in Windows 11/10, you should enable the Network discovery feature. Similarly, to see the file shared, you need to enable the file-sharing feature.
Why can’t I see other computers on my Network in Windows 11?
If you cannot see other computers on your network in Windows 11/10, it means that the Network Discovery feature is turned off on your computer. Network Discovery is a built-in feature of Windows, which allows your PC to get discovered and also discover other PCs when you browse through the Network folder in Windows Explorer. If you do not turn this on, you will not be able to see any computer. Similarly, the file-sharing service falls into the Network discovery part and is required if you plan to share files with other people on the Network.
Let’s see how to fix it.
Cannot see other computers on my network in Windows 11/10
When you are unable to see the other computers on your network in Windows 11/10, you can fix it by enabling the Network Discovery feature.
To enable the Network discovery on your Windows 11/10,
- Open Windows Settings (Win + I)
- Go to Network and Internet > Sharing Options
- It will open the classic Advanced sharing settings for Network where you have three profiles
- Private
- Guest or Public
- All Networks
- If you are connected to a network that belongs to your organization or home, then select the following radio buttons under Private
- Turn on network discovery
- Turn on file and printer sharing
- If you connect to a network that is open to people, and you trust it less, then also you can choose to turn it on, but be careful about it.
- Under All networks, you can set up features to make sharing and discovery more secure.
- Turn off Folder Sharing
- 128-bit encryption
- Password-protected sharing.
There are more ways like using Windows Settings, Command Prompt, or PowerShell to enable Network Discovery.
It is essential that when you join another network, make sure to choose it as a Guest or Public Network. If you have disabled network discovery in that mode, your files and your computer will not be visible. Anyone trying to access a shared folder will need the exact name, username, and password to access those files.
Also read: Network Connections Folder is empty in Windows 11/10
How do I access other computers on my network in Windows 11?
Once the network discovery is enabled, you should be able to see what devices are connected to my Network. To access the computers on the Network, double-click to open it, and it will reveal a list of files and folders shared from the computer. If there is a printer configured and shared through that computer, it will be available.
It is incredibly useful if you save files on the network folder or print via a shared printer. If you have complete access, you can add those network folders to your computer via mapping. In the case of a shared printer, you can add them to your printer list as well. If you would like to use third-party software, you can try Slitheris Network Discovery which is a free software that can help you with faster network discovery.
How do I make my computer visible on a Network in Windows 11?
To make your Windows 11/10 PC visible on a Network or see other computers on a network, and access them and their files, you need to enable the Network Discovery feature. If it is not enabled you cannot see or access other computers even if they are connected to the same network.
Related read: Network computers not showing in Windows.
