How to access shared folder in Windows

Folders shared by other computers in the same network can be accessed from Windows even if it's shared by different operating systems and distributions such as Ubuntu Linux or macOS. This is because they use the same CIFS/SMB protocol for sharing.

You can access the shared folder from Windows using File Explorer, which you can directly launch from the Windows search bar. For this, you need to have the server's IP address or network name, username, and password of the user sharing the folder and to enable Network Discovery on your Windows system.

1. Enable Network Discovery for Windows 11.

   Related: How to turn Network Discovery on or off in Windows

2. Connect to computer with shared folder from the Windows search bar.

   Related: How to show IP address in Windows

3. Double-click on the shared folder that you want to access.
4. Enter the username and password for the network share.
5. Click on the Remember my credentials checkbox to save entered password for future sessions.
6. Click the OK button to authenticate.
7. Access the files and folders in network share.