If you find yourself accessing a shared network folder all the time, consider mapping that folder to a drive letter in your PC’s mass storage system. Just follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + E to open a File Explorer window.

  2. In Windows 10, choose This PC from the left side of the window.

    This step isn’t necessary in Windows 7, because you already see the My Computer window. Like the This PC window, it lists local storage and network locations.

  3. In Windows 10, click the Computer tab.

  4. Click the Map Network Drive button.

    The Map Network Drive dialog box appears.

  5. Choose a drive letter.

    Pick something from the list of available letters. You might want to consider using something high-up so that the mapped network drive won’t interfere with any removable storage you add to your PC.

  6. Click the Browse button.

    A mini network window appears, listing available storage devices on the network. These are locations flagged for shared folders.

  7. Select a network computer or server and then a shared folder.

  8. Type the username and password to access the network resource.

    You must have an account on the other computer, or know the username and password, to map a shared folder.

  9. Ensure that the Reconnect at Sign-in (or Logon) option is checked.

  10. Click the Finish button.

You see a new “drive” appear in the window, one with the letter you assigned in Step 5. Opening this drive icon displays the contents of the shared folder on the network.

About This Article

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About the book author:

Dan Gookin is a gizmo geek who's been writing about technology for over 25 years. In 1991, his DOS For Dummies became the world's fastest-selling computer book and launched the For Dummies series. Dan's 130+ books have been translated into more than 30 languages. Visit his website at www.wambooli.com.

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