How to Access Another Computer on Your Network: Easy Methods for Windows

You may need a document saved on another PC, or you may need to control its screen from your desk. How to access another computer on your network depends on which task you have and whether both PCs use the same local network. Those are different kinds of access, with different settings and security needs.

A shared folder lets you open selected files without taking over the host PC. A remote desktop session lets you view and control that PC’s screen. Network discovery is a Windows feature that lets a PC find and be found by other devices on the local network.

Choose the method that gives you only the access you need. File sharing fits document access, while remote desktop fits work that must happen on the other computer itself. Your Windows edition, account permissions, and network settings can affect which options work.

Key Takeaways

• Use a shared folder to reach selected files.
• Use a remote desktop session to control another PC’s screen.
• Keep both PCs on a network that can reach one another.
• Grant access through an authorized account with a strong password.
• Choose Windows Remote Desktop or Chrome Remote Desktop based on your devices and needs.

Which Kind of Access Do You Need?

File sharing gives you selected files, while remote desktop lets you control the other computer’s full screen. The right choice depends on your task, because each method grants a different level of access.

Use file sharing for specific folders and remote desktop for work on the host PC. File sharing can let you open files or add and change them, depending on the permissions set by the folder owner.

Choose file sharing for selected files, and remote desktop when you need to work on the other PC’s screen.

Both Windows methods work best when the host PC is reachable on the local network. Chrome Remote Desktop supports Windows, Mac, and Linux hosts, but it needs an internet connection. Its remote sessions are encrypted.

Share files with a folder on the network

A shared folder makes only the chosen folder available, not every file on the computer. The host PC owner controls who can open files and who can change them. This is usually the better option when you only need a document, photo, or work folder.

You can use file sharing without sitting at the host PC, but both computers must be able to reach each other on the local network. The connecting PC may ask for an authorized account and password.

Control the other PC’s screen remotely

A remote desktop session shows the host PC’s screen and lets you work with its apps. This suits tasks that depend on software, settings, or files that should remain on that computer.

Remote desktop access grants broader control than a shared folder. Send readers who need selected files to folder sharing, and those who need screen control to the remote desktop options.

How to Access Another Computer on Your Network With Windows File Sharing

The host PC shares a selected folder, and its owner decides who can read or change the files. Set access for a named user, rather than opening the folder to everyone on the network.

Read permission allows viewing and opening files; change permission also allows adding, editing, or deleting them. Give each user only the access their work requires. A Windows file share can support both reading and adding files when its permissions allow it.

Share a folder from the host PC

On the host PC, open File Explorer and right-click the folder you want to share. Choose Properties, then open the Sharing tab and select Advanced Sharing. Select Share this folder, then choose Permissions to set access for the intended user.

Windows may ask for the username and password of an account on the host PC when the connecting PC opens the share. Use an account that already has permission to the folder.

Set access permissions for the shared folder

Use this sequence to keep the shared folder limited to the people who need it:

1. Choose one folder that contains the files you want to share.
2. Enable sharing through Advanced Sharing in the folder’s Properties.
3. Grant the intended user read or change permission, as needed.
4. Connect with an account authorized on the host PC.

Read access fits people who only need to open or copy files. Change access suits users who must add or edit files, but it also lets them alter shared content.

Use individual authorized accounts and strong, unique passwords. Do not make every user an administrator, reuse one password across PCs, or grant broad Everyone access as a shortcut. Microsoft’s Windows file-sharing instructions also explain sharing with specific network users.

After setting permissions, check the host’s visibility settings before connecting from the other PC.

Which Windows Settings Make a PC Visible on Your Network?

Two PCs connected to separate routers may not find each other, even when both have internet access. They must share a reachable local network for Windows file sharing to work directly.

For trusted home Wi-Fi, set the connection to Private and enable Network discovery and File and printer sharing. A Private profile allows more local sharing than a Public profile. Keep Public for untrusted Wi-Fi, such as a hotel or coffee shop.

Set a trusted connection to Private

In Windows 11, open Settings, then choose Network & internet. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open the active connection, and set its network profile to Private if you trust that network.

To connect your computer to a network, join the intended Wi-Fi network or plug in an Ethernet cable. Then check which connection Windows marks as active. Guest Wi-Fi can isolate devices, and another router can put a second PC on a separate network.

PowerShell offers another way to check and change the active profile. Run Get-NetConnectionProfile to see its name and category. To set a trusted profile, run Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name "network name" -NetworkCategory Private, replacing the quoted name with the active network’s name.

Turn on network discovery and file sharing

Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings. Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing on the host PC.

To get a computer to show up under Network, use a trusted Private profile and enable discovery. Windows may take time to list a device, and browsing is not required if you connect directly by name or address.

Once the host can be seen, use File Explorer’s Network view or a direct path to locate its shared folder.

How Do You Find and Connect to the Host PC?

If the host PC is missing from File Explorer’s Network view, enter its computer name in the address bar. A direct path can work when browsing does not, as long as the host and share are reachable.

Start with Network view, then try the host’s computer name or IPv4 address. In File Explorer, select Network to view computers Windows can discover. To connect directly, type two backslashes followed by the host’s computer name or address.

To find the IPv4 address on the host PC, open Command Prompt and run ipconfig. Look for the IPv4 address under the active network adapter. Enter it in File Explorer with two leading backslashes, such as \\192.168.1.2.

When Windows asks for credentials, enter the username and password for an account on the host PC that has permission to the shared folder. A work or school account may use a different username format than a local account.

File Explorer’s Network view answers how to view other PCs on the network. If the host is not listed, use its direct computer-name or address path. If you want to operate the other PC rather than open files, choose a remote desktop method.

How Can You Control Another PC With Remote Desktop?

Remote desktop is the option for viewing and controlling another computer’s screen. Use it only when file access is not enough, because a remote desktop session gives you wider control.

Windows Remote Desktop can host incoming sessions on Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, but not Windows Home. Windows Home can connect to another host as a client. Chrome Remote Desktop is another choice for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, with an internet connection.

Use Windows Remote Desktop

On the host PC, open Settings > System > Remote Desktop and turn on Remote Desktop. Note the PC name shown there. The host must run Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education to accept built-in Remote Desktop connections.

On the connecting PC, open Remote Desktop Connection and enter the host’s PC name. Sign in with an authorized account on the host PC. Windows Home can run the client app, but it cannot host incoming sessions through this built-in feature.

Use Chrome Remote Desktop

For ongoing remote access, set up Chrome Remote Desktop on the host and create a PIN. The host needs an internet connection, and you use the approved Google account and PIN to connect from another device.

Temporary support sharing works differently. The host creates a one-time code and shares it with the person helping. That person can have broad access to the host during the session, so give the code only to someone you trust.

Chrome Remote Desktop support sessions ask for confirmation every 30 minutes while sharing remains active. Stop sharing as soon as the help session ends. Pick built-in Windows Remote Desktop for a compatible Windows host, or Chrome Remote Desktop when cross-platform, internet-based access fits your needs.

Why Can’t You Connect to Another PC on the Network?

A host PC may appear in File Explorer while Windows still rejects the connection. Visibility does not prove access; the host account, folder permissions, and connection rules must also allow it.

Check the network, host, address, account, and security rules before changing protection settings. Use this checklist to narrow down common connection issues:

A computer can appear on the network without granting access to its shared files. Check the account and permissions before changing firewall settings.

• Confirm both PCs are online and connected to the intended network.
• Check that the host PC is awake and sharing or remote access is enabled.
• Verify the host computer name or IPv4 address.
• Check the host account credentials and shared-folder permissions.
• Review firewall and antivirus rules for the chosen connection method.

Do not turn off the firewall to test a connection. Allow the needed app or traffic instead, and keep other protections on.

Chrome Remote Desktop needs an internet connection. Firewall or antivirus rules can block its traffic, including outbound UDP, inbound UDP responses, TCP port 443, and TCP and UDP port 3478.

A failed ping does not prove that a PC is unreachable. A firewall may block ping traffic while allowing the shared folder or remote desktop connection. For more network checks, use Windows network troubleshooting commands such as ping, tracert, and nslookup.

If your PC does not show on other computers, check its Private profile, Network discovery, and File and printer sharing. Confirm both PCs use the same network, rather than separate routers or isolated guest Wi-Fi.

If your desktop is not visible, check those same settings and make sure the host is awake. Recheck the chosen method’s network or account requirement before trying again.

Conclusion

The access method should match the task: share a selected folder for files, or use a remote desktop session to control the whole screen. Start with the least access you need, then test the connection with an authorized account.

You can limit a share to one folder and specific users. Remote access should stay off unless you need screen control, and any support code should go only to someone you trust.

Select or create one limited shared folder, or enable a suitable remote-access method only when screen control is needed. Test it from the connecting PC with the account you plan to use.