The inability to access shared folders is a problem that even plagued Windows 10 users years ago. Some of the solutions to the problem back then were to enable network discovery and to make sure network services were working. Fortunately, fixing the inability of accessing a shared folder is relatively simple. Even Windows 11 will help you out by showing a Network Error where the OS will tell you to check the spelling of the shared folder’s name. The majority of the time getting the name right is all it takes to gain access to a shared, but other times, it requires a finer touch.

Why can’t I access the shared folder?

There can be a multitude of reasons as to why a shared folder won’t work. There could be a wrongly configured network, the drive settings are incorrect, and the aforementioned misspelling of the folder’s name. And in some cases, the user account behind the folder has inappropriate permission settings. Before going through the fixes in this guide, it’s recommended that you first talk to whoever is in control of the shared folder. Perhaps there is some oversight that is preventing people from having access to the shared folder like they forgot to enable permissions. However, if you are the person who is in control over the shared folder, you’ll have to reconfigure and grant network sharing permissions to facilitate that access. This guide will go through different processes that you can try out to fix this shared folder issue. SPONSORED

How do I fix the Cannot Access Shared Folder error?

1. Reconfigure network Sharing permissions

2. Grant security permissions

3. Disable the Password Protected Sharing option

4. Enable File and Printer Settings

What are some other basic functionalities on Windows 11 that may fail?

Shared folders aren’t the only basic functionality that can fail on Windows 11. Microsoft is constantly hard at work at fixing bugs and delivering patches to Windows 11. Case in point, sleep mode on Windows 11. Sleep mode allows you to put the computer in a low power state to conserve electricity while keeping some of its functions running. It could be as simple as turning sleep mode on manually, but other times it requires you to change some settings. And in case you didn’t know, Windows 11 has a built-in VPN functionality that some have reported not working. Fixing the OS’s VPN is as simple as updating the computer, but tougher situations will require you to reinstall WAN network adapters. In the past, there have been some cases of Wi-Fi networks randomly disappearing on Windows 11 computers or some apps on the OS simply not working. Most of the time, a simple restart solves everyone, but other times there is needs to be a proper solution. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions on other Windows 11 problems or bugs. And leave comments about guides that you’d like to see or information on Windows 11 features.

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