How to access an SMB shared folder on macOS

Accessing an SMB shared folder from macOS makes it possible to work with files stored on a Windows PC, another Mac, or a NAS without copying the data locally first. That is useful for team documents, media libraries, and administrative file shares that need to stay in one central location.

Finder connects to file shares through the Go → Connect to Server dialog, where the remote host is entered as an SMB address such as smb://fileserver.example.net. Finder can connect to the server first and show the available shares, or it can open one share directly when the address already includes the share name.

Reliable access depends on the remote host actually offering SMB, the correct hostname or IP address, and an account that is allowed to open the share. When a server publishes multiple shares, Finder may ask which one to mount after authentication; when the address already includes the share name, that chooser is skipped and Finder opens the share directly.

1. Open Finder and choose Go → Connect to Server.

   Press Command+K in Finder to open the same dialog without using the menu bar.

2. Enter the remote server in the Server Address field.

   smb://fileserver.example.net
   smb://192.0.2.10

   If the exact share name is already known, use a full path such as smb://fileserver.example.net/projects to open that share directly instead of choosing it later from a list.

3. Click Connect to start the SMB session.

   Finder can pause briefly while it contacts the server and checks which shares are available.

4. Enter the username and password for the share when prompted, then continue the sign-in.

   Choose Guest only when the remote share is explicitly configured for guest access. Otherwise use Registered User and enter an account that has permission to the share.

5. Select the shared folder if Finder shows a list of available shares.

   This selection step is skipped when the Server Address already includes the share name.

6. Confirm the shared folder opens in Finder and the files inside are visible.

   Mounted network shares appear in the Finder sidebar under Locations, which makes them easier to reopen or eject later.

7. Eject the mounted share from the Finder sidebar when finished.

   Eject the share before sleeping the Mac, disconnecting from the network, or shutting down the remote host to reduce the risk of interrupted file copies or partially written files.