Windows cannot access a shared folder: how to fix it

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10 connecting to another PC, a NAS or a router’s USB share over SMB.

What the error code means

The dialog always starts with Windows cannot access followed by the path. The detail line is what matters:

You see	What it usually means	Start with
0x80070035: The network path was not found	Name doesn’t resolve, the other device is off or hidden, or SMB is blocked	Fix 1, Fix 2, our 0x80070035 guide
0x80070043: The network name cannot be found	The PC was found but the share name is wrong or no longer shared	Fix 1, Fix 4
0x80004005: Unspecified error	Often credentials, SMB version or guest access	Fix 3, Fix 5
0x800704cf: The network location cannot be reached	Network adapter or client settings	Fix 6
You do not have permission to access	Share or folder permissions on the other device	Fix 4
Your organization’s security policies block unauthenticated guest access	The share only allows guest access, which Windows blocks	Fix 5

Fix 1: Check the path and the network

1. Make sure both devices are on and on the same network (same router; guest Wi-Fi networks usually isolate devices).
2. Try the IP address instead of the name. Find it on the other PC with ipconfig (the IPv4 Address) or in the NAS or router app, then press Windows + R and type \\192.168.1.20\share with your own numbers. If the IP works and the name doesn’t, it’s a name-resolution problem: keep using the IP or map it as a drive.
3. Test the connection: open Command Prompt and run ping 192.168.1.20. No replies means a network or firewall problem, not a sharing problem.
4. Check the share name. Open \\192.168.1.20 on its own to list the shares the device offers.

Fix 2: Turn on network discovery and file sharing

Do this on both PCs (on a NAS, sharing is already on).

1. Set the network to Private: Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet), open your network’s properties and set Network profile type to Private network.
2. Windows 11: go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings. Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
3. Windows 10: open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings, and turn on the same two options under Private.

Fix 3: Sign in with the right account

You need a user name and password for an account on the computer that shares the folder, not on your own PC. When Windows asks, type it as PCNAME\username (or the Microsoft account email if that PC uses one). If Windows never asks and fails, or remembers the wrong account, set it yourself:

1. Open Credential Manager from Start, then Windows Credentials.
2. Remove any old entry for that PC or NAS.
3. Select Add a Windows credential, enter the device name or IP exactly as you type it in the path, plus the user name and password.
4. Open the share again.

If the sharing PC’s account signs in with a PIN only and has no password, sharing won’t work with it. Give that account a password or create a separate local account for sharing.

Fix 4: Check share and folder permissions

On the PC that shares the folder:

1. Right-click the folder > Properties > Sharing > Advanced Sharing. Make sure Share this folder is ticked and the share name matches the path you use.
2. Select Permissions and give your user (or Everyone on a trusted home network) Read or Change.
3. On the Security tab, make sure the same user also has NTFS permission to the folder. Windows uses the stricter of the two.

For printers, the steps differ; see how to share a printer in Windows 11.

Fix 5: NAS or guest share blocked

Many home NAS boxes and router USB ports share files to anyone without a password (“guest” access). Windows has been tightening this for years:

• Since Windows 10 version 1709, Enterprise and Education editions refuse insecure guest logons, and Windows 11 Pro does too.
• Windows 11 version 24H2 Pro, Enterprise and Education also require SMB signing by default, which guest connections can’t do. Windows 11 Home doesn’t require signing, per Microsoft’s documentation.

The right fix: create a user account with a password on the NAS (or router), give it access to the share, and sign in with it (Fix 3). Also update the NAS firmware so it supports SMB2/SMB3 and signing.

Last resort, home network only: on Pro editions you can allow guest access again in the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc): set Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Lanman Workstation > Enable insecure guest logons to Enabled, and set Microsoft network client: Digitally sign communications (always) (under Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options) to Disabled. Microsoft advises against this because it lets an unsafe device on the network pose as your share. Don’t do it on a work PC.

Very old devices that only speak SMB1 need the SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support Windows feature, which is off by default for security reasons. Replacing or updating the device is the safer route.

Fix 6: Services, firewall and network reset

• Services: press Windows + R, run services.msc and make sure Workstation (on your PC) and Server (on the sharing PC) are running and set to Automatic. Function Discovery Resource Publication helps the PC show up under Network.
• Firewall: in Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall, make sure File and Printer Sharing is ticked for Private. Third-party security suites have their own firewall settings to check.
• Adapter client (0x800704cf): press Windows + R, run ncpa.cpl, right-click your adapter > Properties, and make sure Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks are ticked.
• Network reset: as a last step, go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. You’ll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi afterwards. If the adapter then has no valid address, see Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration.

Once the share opens, map it as a network drive so it gets a drive letter and reconnects at sign-in.

Related guides

• Error 0x80070035: the network path was not found
• How to map a network drive in Windows 10 and 11
• Printer sharing in Windows 11
• The local device name is already in use

Official sources: for more detail, see these pages:

• Microsoft Learn: Enable insecure guest logons in SMB2 and SMB3
• Microsoft Learn: Control SMB signing behavior

Frequently asked questions

Why did my NAS stop working after a Windows 11 update?

Version 24H2 requires SMB signing on Pro and business editions, and guest-only shares can’t sign. Add a user account on the NAS and sign in with it, or update its firmware.

Is it safe to turn on network discovery?

Yes on a Private home or office network. Keep it off for Public networks such as café or hotel Wi-Fi; Windows keeps the two profiles separate.

Why can I open the share by IP but not by name?

Name lookup is failing. Restarting the router often helps; otherwise keep using the IP, or give the device a reserved address in the router so the IP never changes.

Do I need the same user account on both PCs?

No. You need an account that exists on the PC that shares the folder. Using the same name and password on both just saves you from typing it.