How to map a network drive on Windows 10

You can quickly map a shared folder as a network drive for faster after to files stored on another computer, and here's how to do it.

Mauro Huculak @pureinfotech

February 22, 2017

2018-09-04T07:14:12+00:00

On Windows 10, you can map a network drive to quickly access files stored on another computer connected to the network.

When you connect to a network drive using mapping on Windows 10, the operating system essentially creates a “shortcut” that points to the shared folder with a drive letter and access credentials. The mapped drive then appears on “This PC” under “Network locations” to give you quick access to those files stored on another computer.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to quickly map a network drive (shared folder) on Windows 10, and how to disconnect, using the options available in File Explorer.

How to map a network drive using File Explorer

To map a network drive using File Explorer on Windows 10, use the following steps:

Open File Explorer.
Click on This PC.
On the “Computer” tab, click the Map network drive button.

Map network drive option
Select a drive letter, but you can leave the default.
Type the network share path as shown in the example, or click the Browse button to navigate to the folder that you want to map as a network drive, and click OK.

Check the Reconnect at sign-in option if you want to permanently connect to the network location.
Check the Connect using different credentials option in the case you need another account credentials to access the files.
Click Finish to complete the task.

Map Network Drive wizard

Once you completed the steps, you can go to This PC to access the newly mapped drive.

Quick Tip: If you can’t connect to the shared folder in the network, try using the IP address of the remote computer, instead of the computer name. However, be aware that if the remote computer is using a dynamic IP address configuration, it may change in the future, and you may need to reconnect again.

How to disconnect a network drive using File Explorer

If you no longer need access to the network drive, you can quickly disconnect it in a number of ways.

You can disconnect doing one of the following:

Right-click the network drive on File Explorer and select Disconnect.

Network drive Disconnect option
Select the network drive, and on the “Computer” tab, click the Map network driver sub-button and select Disconnect network drive.

Disconnect network drive