How to Turn Off Password Protected Sharing in Windows 11

Learn to share a folder without password

Reading time icon 4 min. read


Readers help support Windows Report. We may get a commission if you buy through our links. Tooltip Icon

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team. Read more

Key notes

  • If you have been looking for ways to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11, you have come to the right page.
  • There are three ways you can do this, via Control Panel, Registry Editor, or Local Users and Groups.
  • Also, check our curated list of the best third-party tools to share files.
Turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11

Whenever you share files, folders, or other resources over a network, not everyone can access it unless they have the right credentials, since these are password protected by default.

So, if you want to share resources with everyone, we have listed all the ways you can turn off password-protected sharing in Windows 11.

With password protection enabled, only people with a user account and password on the same system will be able to access shared resources. But as soon as you turn off the setting, anyone on the network can access these.

There are basically three ways to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11, and we have listed them all. Choose the one that best suits you to quickly make the change.

Should I turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11?

There is no one answer to this question, and it all comes down to the resources being shared and the users it’s being shared with. If you are sharing certain folders or devices on a home network, it wouldn’t be a big deal to turn off password protected sharing.

So, weigh the pros and cons of disabling password protection, to help make an informed decision.

How can I turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11?

Note icon NOTE
Before proceeding with the methods listed next, make sure you are logged in with an administrator account in Windows 11.

1. Via Control Panel

  1. 1.ย Pressย Windowsย +ย Sย to launch theย Searchย menu.

  2. 2. Enterย Control Panelย in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.

    Launch Control Panel to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11
  3. 3. Selectย Network and Internetย from the options that appear.

    Network & Internet
  4. 4. Click onย Network and Sharing Center.

    Network and Sharing Center
  5. 5. Next, click onย Change advanced sharing settingsย from the list of options on the left.

    Change advanced sharing settings
  6. 6. Press onย All Networksย at the bottom to view the password protected sharing settings.

    All networks
  7. 7. Finally, select theย Turn off password protected sharingย option and click onย Save changesย at the bottom.

    Turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11
  8. 8. Once done modifying the settings, restart the computer, and the password protected sharing will be turned off in Windows 11.

  9. If you’re looking to share a folder without password in Windows 11, you can turn off password protected sharing via Control Panel.

    Control Panel is a built-in tool on your device that is perfectly safe and easy to use, and allows you to make system modifications in no time.

2. Via Registry

Note icon NOTE
Modifying the Registry is a critical process and any lapse on your part can render the computer useless. We recommend following the steps listed here as is and making no other changes.
  1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run command.
  2. Type/paste regedit in the text field, and either click on OK or hit Enter to launch the Registry Editor.Launch Registry to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11n
  3. Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that pops up.
  4. Paste the following path in the address bar at the top and hit Enter, and then double-click on the everyoneincludeanonymous REG_DWORD:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\LsaNavigate path
  5. Enter 1 under Value data and click on OK to save the changes.Modify Value Data
  6. Next, navigate to the following path or paste it in the address bar and hit Enter, and double-click on the restrictnullsessaccess REG_DWORD:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\ParametersNavigate the path
  7. Enter 0 under Value data and click on OK to save the changes.Modify value data and save changes
  8. Close the Registry Editor and restart the computer to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11.

If the Registry appears corrupt or the system’s performance appears downgraded in the recent past, do not hesitate to learn how to fix broken Registry items in Windows 11.

3. Via Local Users and Groups

  1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run command.
  2. Type/paste lusrmgr.msc in the text field, and either click on OK or hit Enter to launch the Local Users and Groups window.Launch Local Users and Groups
  3. Click on the Users entry on the right.Click Users to turn off password protected sharing in windows 11
  4. Next, right-click on Guest and select Properties from the context menu.Guest properties
  5. Now, tick the checkbox for Password never expires and untick the others, and click on OK to save the changes.Password never expires to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11
  6. Restart the computer and password protected sharing will be turned off in Windows 11. You will be able to share a folder without a password.

What to do if I am unable to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11?

While the methods listed above work smoothly for most users, some have reported that they are unable to turn off password-protected sharing. This could be due to a bunch of reasons, including misconfigured settings.

We recommend following the methods listed here as is, and if things still don’t work out, check our dedicated guide on fixing issues preventing you from disabling password protected sharing in Windows.

Though the guide is for Windows 10, the methods listed should work just as well on the latest iteration.

These are all the ways you can disable password protected sharing in Windows 11. But before you do, consider the privacy and security of shared resources as well. Also, check our curated list of the 10 best file-sharing tools in Windows.

Tell us which method you choose to turn off password protected sharing in Windows 11, in the comments section below.

More about the topics: file sharing, Windows 11

User forum

1 messages