To turn on network discovery in Windows 11, first make sure your network is set to Private: open Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open the network’s properties and choose Private network. Then go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings and turn on Network discovery (and File and printer sharing if you need it) under Private networks. Leave discovery off on public networks.
Quick Answer
Set the network to Private > Advanced sharing settings > Private networks > Network discovery: On.
Steps to Turn It On
- Open Settings > Network & internet and click Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Open your network’s properties and set Network profile type to Private network.
- Go back and open Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings.
- Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery.
- Turn on File and printer sharing if you’ll share folders or printers.
If It Keeps Turning Off
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Network set to Public | Change the profile to Private |
| Discovery services stopped | services.msc: set Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery and UPnP Device Host to Automatic and start them |
| Firewall blocking it | Allow Network Discovery for Private in Windows Firewall allowed apps |
| Work or school policy | Ask IT |
Check the Services Network Discovery Needs
Network discovery relies on a few background services. If the switch turns itself off again, check them:
- Press Windows + R, type
services.mscand press Enter. - Find each of these: Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery and UPnP Device Host.
- Double-click each one, set Startup type to Automatic (Delayed Start for UPnP Device Host is fine), click Start if it isn’t running, then OK.
- Return to Advanced sharing settings and turn Network discovery on again.
Turn It On From the Command Line
Network discovery depends on a group of Windows Firewall rules. If the setting won’t stick, open Terminal (Admin) and run:
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=Yes
This enables the firewall rules for all profiles, so use it only on PCs that stay on trusted networks, and keep the network profile set to Private. On non-English versions of Windows, the rule group name is translated.
See Other Devices Once It’s On
Open File Explorer and click Network in the left pane. Other PCs, media devices and printers on the same network should appear within a minute or two. Newer PCs and NAS drives sometimes don’t show up even though they work; in that case, type the device’s address, such as \\NAS or \\192.168.1.20, into the File Explorer address bar, or map a network drive for quick access.
Troubleshooting
- Other PCs still not showing: Make sure they’re on the same network with discovery on, and restart them.
- Opening shared folders: See accessing a shared folder on the network.
- On Windows 10: See turning on network discovery in Windows 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is network discovery safe?
On a trusted home or office network, yes. Keep it off on public Wi-Fi.
Do I need it to use a network printer?
It helps Windows find printers automatically, though you can also add a printer by IP address.
Does it share my files?
Not by itself. Files are only shared if you set up sharing.
Summary
- Set the network to Private.
- Open Advanced sharing settings.
- Turn on Network discovery.
- Check services and firewall if it won’t stay on.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.