Microsoft

How To Password Protect Sharing In Windows 7

Groovy Windows 7 How-ToAre you worried about people on your network snooping around the shared files on your computer?  Or maybe you’ve stored some files in your Windows Public folders, and you want to make sure that people will have access to them without giving out credentials.  Either way understanding this setting in Windows 7 will come in handy.

 

How To Enable Or Disable Password Protected Sharing In Windows 7

 

Step 1

Click the Windows Start Menu Orb and in the search box Type network and sharing.  Now Press Enter or Click the Network and Sharing Center link.

network and sharing center in windows 7

 

Step 2

In the Network and Sharing window Click the Change advanced sharing settings located on the left-side pane.

advanced sharing settinsg in windows 7

 

Step 3

On the Advanced sharing settings page, Scroll all the way to the bottom.  Here you’ll find the section titled Password protected sharingClick the bullet for the setting you want; there are two.

  • Turn on password protected sharing

or

  • Turn off password protected sharing

Once you’ve made your selection, be sure to Save changes.

enable password protection of locally shared files in windows 7

 

If you’ve enabled password protected sharing, users from external computers will now be required to enter a Username and Password of an existing local user that has a user account on the computer where you’ve just enabled protection.  This tip is a great technique for keeping out unwanted visitors.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Frank

    July 19, 2010 at 8:55 am

    I actually don’t see Password Protected Sharing. In it’s place I see HomeGroup connections.

  2. ohgee

    July 26, 2015 at 12:52 pm

    @Frank, are you running Windows 7? Control Panel/ Network and Internet/ Network and Sharing Center/ Choose homegroup and sharing options/ Change advanced sharing options/

    then choose Turn on password protected sharing or Turn off password protected sharing.

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