Share Files and Folder in Windows 7

Applies to Windows 7

Share files with someone

In Windows 7, you can share individual files and folders—and even entire libraries—with other people.

The "Share with" menu

The quickest way to share something is using the new Share with menu. The options you'll see depend on the file you're sharing and the type of network your computer is connected to—homegroup , workgroup, or domain. (For more information about types of networks, see

To share files and folders on a homegroup

To share files and folders on a workgroup or a domain

Notes

• If you don't see the Share with menu, you might be trying to share an item on a network or other unsupported location. It also won't appear when you select files outside your personal folder.
• If you try to share something in one of the Windows 7 Public folders, the Share with menu will display an option called Advanced sharing settings. This option takes you to Control Panel, where you can turn Public folder sharing on or off.
• If password-protected sharing is turned on, the person you want to share with must have a user account and password on your computer for full access to shared items. Password-protected sharing is located in Control Panel under Advanced sharing settings. It's turned on by default.

To stop sharing a file or folder

To access shared files, folders, or libraries on other homegroup computers

The Public folders

You can also share files and folders by copying or moving them into one of the Windows 7 Public folders, such as Public Music or Public Pictures. You can find them by clicking the Start button , clicking your user account name, and then clicking the arrow beside Libraries to expand the folders.

Public folder sharing is turned off by default (except on a homegroup).

domain.

To turn password-protected sharing on or off

Public folders are included in Windows libraries.

Advanced sharing

There are some locations in Windows that, for security reasons, can't be shared directly using the Share with menu. One example is if you attempt to share an entire drive such as drive C on your computer (sometimes referred to as the root of a drive), or system folders (including the Users and Windows folders).

To share these locations, you must use Advanced sharing instead. In general, however, we don't recommend sharing your entire drive or Windows system folders.

To share using Advanced sharing

Shared Folders troubleshooter

If you’re still having trouble with sharing, you can try using the Shared Folders troubleshooter to automatically find and fix some common problems.

Open the Shared Folders troubleshooter by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under Network and Internet, click Access shared files and folders on other computers.