Not being able to access your mapped drives on a Windows computer is a serious issue. It prevents you from accessing files stored across computers or enjoying easy file-sharing over the network. In most cases, the problem can be quickly resolved with a restart. However, fixing such mapped drives in Windows 11/10 can sometimes be a bit challenging. Here are some quick fixes that you can try to fix the problem right away.
Fix Mapped drives not working in Windows 11/10
Try these solutions to determine the reason, then fix where mapped drives are not working on Windows 11/10 PC.
- Network Discovery is enabled
- Ensure the Network Services are running for Mapped drives
- Enable insecure logins for mapped drives in Windows 11 24H2
- Reconnect the Mapped Drive
1] Ensure Network Discovery is enabled
If you have recently updated Windows, it might have overwritten the network permissions. So, ensure that Network discovery is enabled across your devices before proceeding.
- Press Windows Key + I to open Settings.
- Go to Network & Internet> Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings.
- Over here, toggle on Network Discovery and File and Printer Sharing.
- Once done, reboot your computer, try to access your network drives, and see if it works.
Read: Network discovery is turned off and not turning on
2] Ensure the Network Services are running for Mapped drives
Finally, to ensure that your mapped drives are working properly, you must enable certain Windows services. Here’s how:
- Press Windows Key + R to open Run.
- Type services.msc and press Enter.
Locate the following services and right-click on them one by one:- Function Discovery Provider Host
- Function Discovery Resource Publication
- SSDP Discovery
- UPnP Device Host
- For each service, you need to select Properties.
- If the service is not running, click on Start.
- Also, set the Startup type to Automatic.
- Finally, click on Apply > Ok.
After enabling these services, reboot your computer and then try to access your network drives and see if you find any issues.
Read: Mapping OneDrive for Business as a Network Drive
3] Enable insecure logins for mapped drives in Windows 11
In a recent update, Windows has changed the way it connects with third-party NAS devices or devices using SMB. So, if your network drives are older or using SMB, follow these steps to enable insecure logins:
- Press Windows + X to access the quick menu and select Terminal (Admin).
- In the terminal run the following commands one by one:
Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false
Set-SmbClientConfiguration -EnableInsecureGuestLogons $true
These commands will disable the requirement for security signatures and allow insecure guest logins.
Read: How to improve network speed using SMB compression
4] Reconnect the Mapped Drive
In the end, if you still get the same error, then remap your network drives. This way, you will be able to refresh the whole connection.
- First, open File Explorer, right-click on the mapped drive, and select Disconnect.
- Next, from File Explorer, go to This PC > Map network drive.
- Select a drive letter and enter the network path (e.g., \\server\sharedfolder).
- Check Reconnect at sign-in > Finish.
So go ahead and try the above methods. Also, update your Windows and network drive to ensure that a bug does not cause this error. Overall, remapping your drives again should fix the problem.
Read: How to clear Mapped Network Drive Cache
Why can’t I access my mapped drives even though they appear in File Explorer?
This could happen if the network path is inaccessible, the credentials are incorrect or expired, or Windows 11’s security settings are preventing proper authentication.
Read: The mapped network drive could not be created
Why do my mapped drives not reconnect automatically after logging into Windows 11?
If a Mapped Network Drive keeps disconnecting and does not reconnect, then this problem may be caused by Windows not properly restoring network connections, insufficient permissions, or an issue with the credential manager. You should also check if you have disabled auto-reconnect for mapped drives.
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