To map a network drive in Windows 11, open File Explorer, select This PC, then select More > Map network drive. Pick a letter in the Drive list, type the shared folder’s path in the Folder box, select Reconnect at sign-in if you want the drive back after every restart, and select Finish.
Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.
What mapping a drive does
Mapping gives a folder that lives on another computer, a server, or a network storage box (often called a NAS) its own drive letter on your PC. Instead of typing a long network address each time, you open a drive such as Z: in File Explorer, and apps can save to it like any other drive. If your storage box is a Synology, see how to map a Synology drive in Windows 11 for the NAS settings to check first.
Mapping does not copy the files to your PC. They stay on the other device, so the drive only works while that device is switched on and your PC can reach it over the network.
What you need before you start
- The path to the shared folder. Windows expects a path with two backslashes, the name of the computer, one backslash, and the name of the shared folder, such as \\OFFICE-PC\Reports. This format is often called a UNC path. Ask the person who manages the computer or NAS if you don’t know it.
- Permission to open the folder. The owner of the shared folder decides which accounts can open it. You may need a user name and password that exist on the other device.
- A connection to the same network. For a share at work or school, that can mean being in the building or connected to the organization’s approved VPN first.
- A free drive letter. Microsoft’s command reference lists D: through Z: as the letters used for disk drives. Letters that your PC already uses are not available.
If the folder isn’t shared yet, set that up on the other computer first. Our guide on how to share folders in Windows 10 covers the sharing side for a Windows 10 PC.
Map a network drive in File Explorer
This is the method Microsoft documents for Windows 11, and it is the best choice for most people.
- Open File Explorer from the taskbar or the Start menu, or press Windows logo key + E.
- Select This PC in the left pane.
- On the File Explorer ribbon (the row of commands at the top of the window), select More, then choose Map network drive. A window opens that asks for a drive letter and a folder.
- In the Drive list, select the letter you want to use.
- In the Folder box, type the path of the shared folder, such as \\OFFICE-PC\Reports. If you don’t know the exact path, select Browse to look for the computer and folder on your network.
- Select Reconnect at sign-in if you want Windows to connect the drive every time you sign in. Leave it cleared if you only need the drive for now.
- Select Finish. If Windows asks for a user name and password, enter the ones that have permission to open the shared folder.
When the connection works, the new drive appears under This PC with the letter you picked, and you can open it like any other drive.
Microsoft notes that if you don’t see Map network drive on the More menu, you can right-click This PC in the left pane and find the command there instead.
Map a drive with Command Prompt
The net use command does the same job from a command line. It is handy when you map the same drive on several PCs, or when you want to keep the command in a note and paste it later. Open Command Prompt the normal way, not as an administrator, for the reason explained in the troubleshooting section below.
- Open a Command Prompt window. One way is to select Start and search for cmd.
- Type the command with your own letter and path, then press Enter: net use Z: \\OFFICE-PC\Reports /persistent:yes
- If Windows needs a password, it asks for one. Type it and press Enter.
These parts of the command are described in Microsoft’s net use reference:
| What you type | What it does |
|---|---|
| net use | With nothing after it, lists all of the computer’s network connections. |
| net use * \\OFFICE-PC\Reports | The asterisk in place of a letter assigns the next available drive letter. |
| /persistent:yes | Saves connections as they are made and restores them the next time you sign in. /persistent:no does not save the connection. |
| /user:OFFICE-PC\Maria | Connects with a different user name from the one you are signed in with. |
| * after the path | Makes Windows prompt for the password. The password is not shown as you type it. |
| /savecred | Stores the credentials you provide so they can be reused. |
| net use Z: /delete | Cancels the connection for drive Z:. |
If the computer name contains a space, put quotation marks around it, or the command returns an error. You can also map a folder inside a share by adding it to the end of the path, such as net use M: \\OFFICE-PC\Reports\2026.
Typing a password directly in the command leaves it visible on the screen. Using the asterisk so that Windows prompts for it is the safer habit.
Map a drive with PowerShell
PowerShell uses the New-PSDrive command. The -Persist part is what turns it into a real Windows mapped drive that shows up in File Explorer.
- Open a PowerShell window without administrator rights. One way is to select Start and search for powershell.
- Type this command with your own letter and path, then press Enter: New-PSDrive -Name “Z” -PSProvider “FileSystem” -Root “\\OFFICE-PC\Reports” -Persist
- To sign in with a specific account, add -Credential followed by the user name, such as -Credential OFFICE-PC\Maria. PowerShell then prompts you for the password.
Microsoft’s documentation sets a few rules for this method. The name must be a single letter, the -Root value must be a network path on a different computer, and the provider must be FileSystem. If you put the command in a script, add -Scope Global, because otherwise the drive disappears when the script ends.
Which method to choose
Use File Explorer if you are mapping one drive on your own PC. It needs no typing beyond the path, and Browse can find the folder for you. Use net use when you want a one-line command you can reuse or need to connect with a different user name. Use PowerShell when the mapping is part of a larger script. All three create the same kind of mapped drive.
Check that the drive works, or remove it
Open File Explorer and select This PC. The mapped drive is listed with its letter and the name of the share. Open it and try a file. You can also run net use in Command Prompt to see every mapped drive, its letter, and the network path behind it.
To remove a mapped drive, you have three choices:
- In File Explorer, right-click the drive under This PC and choose the option to disconnect it.
- In Command Prompt, type net use Z: /delete and press Enter. Typing net use * /delete cancels all network connections at once.
- In PowerShell, type Get-PSDrive Z | Remove-PSDrive and press Enter.
Removing a mapped drive only removes the shortcut on your PC. It deletes nothing in the shared folder. Close any files you have open from the drive first, because Windows can’t disconnect a shared folder while a program is still using it.
Troubleshooting a mapped drive
Windows can’t find the path
Check the spelling first: two backslashes, the computer name, one backslash, and the share name. Microsoft’s own note for this step is that the computer you are trying to reach might be turned off, or you might not have the correct permissions. Make sure the other device is on, awake, and on the same network as your PC.
If the name still isn’t found, try the other computer’s IP address in place of its name, such as \\192.168.1.20\Reports. On a Windows 11 PC, the address is in Settings under Network & internet. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open the connected network, and look next to IPv4 address.
The other computer doesn’t appear when you browse
Browsing depends on network discovery. On a home network you trust, check these settings on both PCs:
- Open Settings and go to Network & internet. Select Wi-Fi and your connected network, or select Ethernet. Under Network profile type, select Private network. Only do this on a network where you know and trust the people and devices.
- In the Settings search box, type manage advanced sharing settings and select it.
- Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
If File Explorer shows a banner in Network that says network discovery is turned off, select the banner and then select Turn on network discovery and file sharing. Even when a computer doesn’t show up in the list, typing its full path in the Folder box often still works.
Windows keeps asking for a password or says access is denied
The account you are using does not have permission on the other device, or Windows has saved an old password for it. Confirm the user name and password with whoever manages the share. Enter the user name together with the computer it belongs to, such as OFFICE-PC\Maria.
To clear a saved password, type credential manager in the search box on the taskbar and select Credential Manager Control panel. Select Windows Credentials, find the entry for the other computer, and remove it. Then map the drive again and enter the current password. Our guide on how to find network credentials in Windows 10 walks through that tool.
A message says guest access is blocked
Some older NAS boxes and routers share folders with no user name at all, which Windows calls guest access. Microsoft states that Windows 11 Pro no longer uses guest credentials to connect to a remote share by default, and that Windows 11, version 24H2 Enterprise, Pro, and Education require SMB signing, a security check that guest connections can’t pass. SMB is the file-sharing protocol that mapped drives use. The usual message says you can’t access the shared folder because your organization’s security policies block unauthenticated guest access. You may also see error 0x80070035, “The network path was not found.”
The fix Microsoft recommends is on the other device: create a user account with a password on the NAS or router, turn on SMB signing there if it has that setting, and map the drive with that account. Microsoft advises against turning guest logons back on or turning off SMB signing in Windows, because both leave your PC open to connecting to a fake server without any warning.
A message says the share needs SMB1
Windows 11 does not install the old SMB1 protocol by default. If a device supports nothing newer, Windows shows a message that says you can’t connect to the file share because it’s not secure and the share requires the obsolete SMB1 protocol. Microsoft strongly recommends that you don’t reinstall SMB1, because it has known security problems with ransomware and other malware. Check the device maker’s site for a firmware update that adds SMB2 or later.
The drive shows a red X after a restart
A red X on the drive, the word Unavailable next to it in net use, or a notification that says “Could not reconnect all network drives” all mean Windows could not reach the share when you signed in. This often happens when the PC signs in before Wi-Fi or a VPN has connected, or when the other device is off. Once the network is up, check that the other device is on, then try the drive again. If it stays unavailable, remove the drive and map it again with Reconnect at sign-in selected.
The drive is missing in an administrator window
Microsoft’s documentation explains that mapped drives belong to a user account and sign-in session. A drive you map in a Command Prompt or PowerShell window that you opened as an administrator is not visible in File Explorer or in normal windows, and a drive mapped in File Explorer may not be visible in an administrator window. Map the drive from File Explorer or from a normal, non-administrator window so it shows up where you expect.
You’re on a work or school PC
Organizations often map drives for you automatically and can block or restrict the feature. If Map network drive is missing or a drive won’t connect on a managed PC, contact your IT help desk instead of changing security settings yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct format for a network path?
Two backslashes, the computer or server name, one backslash, and the share name: \\ComputerName\ShareName. You can add more folder names after the share name to map a folder inside it.
Will the mapped drive still be there after I restart?
Yes, if you selected Reconnect at sign-in in File Explorer, used /persistent:yes with net use, or used -Persist in PowerShell. Windows reconnects it when you sign in, as long as the other device is reachable.
Can I map a drive with a different user name and password?
Yes. In File Explorer, enter that account when Windows asks for credentials. From a command line, add /user: and the name to net use, or -Credential to New-PSDrive.
How many network drives can I map?
Each mapped drive needs its own letter, so the limit is the number of letters your PC isn’t already using. Microsoft’s net use reference lists D: through Z: for disk drives.
Does mapping a drive work in Windows 11 Home?
Microsoft’s instructions for mapping a network drive apply to Windows 11 without naming an edition. The stricter SMB signing default described above is listed for the Enterprise, Pro, and Education editions of version 24H2.
Why does removing the drive not delete my files?
A mapped drive is only a connection. The files are stored on the other computer or NAS, so removing the drive letter leaves them untouched.
Are the steps the same in Windows 10?
The window where you choose a letter and folder is the same, but the command sits in a different place in File Explorer. See our guide on mapping a network drive in Windows 10.
Once your drive is mapped, open it from This PC and save a test file to confirm you have the access you need. For Microsoft’s own instructions, see File sharing over a network in Windows on Microsoft Support.
Related: How to connect to an SMB share in Windows 11.
Related: How to enable SMB1 on Windows 11.
Related: enable SMB in Windows 10.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.