How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11: Your Complete Guide

A network drive is a location or disk drive where you can save and share files and applications with users on the same network. It can be a server drive on the network, a NAS (Network Attached Storage) drive, which is an independent network drive, or a physical drive connected to a router.

Accessing a network drive can be a bit complicated since you have to input its path every time. To quickly access a network drive, you can map it to your local computer, as it won't take up much space on your local disk. That's what we'll be doing here. We'll show you the entire process of mapping a network drive in Windows 11. Let's get started.

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Why map a network drive to a local drive?

The reasons for mapping a network drive on a computer can vary. Essentially, it boils down to the advantages that network drives offer. Here's a list of benefits of using or mapping a network to a local disk on a Windows PC. Let's take a look:

• Extend local computer storage and free up disk space.
• Transfer or share files quickly to a network drive.
• Protect personal and important data from system crashes or hardware failures.
• Access and use shared files portably without requiring the source computer, from anywhere.

How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11

You might be struggling with this issue, and here we bring you a comprehensive guide on how to map a network drive in Windows 11. The tips also apply to mapping a network drive on a computer with Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista and Windows Server.

Let's get started.

1. Create a New Volume for the Network Drive

• Tool: Disk Management Tool - Partition Master Tool
• Duración: 1 minute

2. Turn on Network Discovery, File Sharing, and Password Protected Sharing

• Tools: Network and Sharing Center settings
• Time required: 2-3 minutes

To prevent unnecessary errors, you need to enable Network Discovery in Windows 11. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Type “Control Panel” in the search box, and then click to open it from the results.

Click “Network and Sharing Center,” and then click “Change advanced sharing settings” in the left panel.

Step 3: Under Privacy, check both “Turn on network discovery” and “Turn on file and printer sharing.”

4. In the Guest or Public section, also check Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing.

5. Under "All Networks," check the box for "Turn on password protected sharing." Click "Save Changes" to apply all settings.

Map a network drive in Windows 11

• Tools: File Explorer Menu Panel
• Timeframe: 2-3 minutes

After you finish the network discovery and file sharing settings on your computer, you can map a network drive in Windows 11 following the guide below. Let's get started.

Step 1: On the Windows 11 desktop, double-click on "This PC".

Step 2: In the top menu, click on "Map Network Drive," then select "Map Network Drive."

Step 3: Under “Disks,” select the new volume that you want to attach.

Select a local drive to connect to the network drive

Step 4. Click “Browse” next to the “Folder” section, and choose the network drive folder you want to connect to.

Select the network folder to map as a drive

If prompted, enter your network credentials, and click OK to confirm.

Step 5: Check the box for "Reconnect at login" and click "Finish."

Now, you should see the mapped network drive displayed in File Explorer, which you can double-click to open and access the shared files on the network drive, allowing you to transfer data to the disk in Windows 11.

Additional tips for using network drives in Windows 11

After mapping a network drive on your Windows 11 computer, you can use it to share and transfer files between your computer and the network. It's also essential to know how to utilize network drives for sharing and saving files on your computer.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your network drive and protect your files:

• Maintain a stable network connection while the network drive is disconnected.
• Copy files to the network drive instead of cutting them from your local Windows 11 computer.
• Set up a password to access crucial data on the network drive.
• Ensure there's enough space on the local disk connected to the network drive.

While network drives don't take up much actual space on your local disk, you still need to keep some free space available for smooth file transfers and sharing. To manage the disk layout on your local hard drive, you can use a tool like Partition Master.