Map a Network Drive in Windows 11: File Explorer and CMD

To map a network drive in Windows 11 is to give a shared folder on another computer or a NAS box its own drive letter, such as Z:, so it shows up under This PC like a local disk. Apps that cannot browse the network can then open and save files there, and you skip typing the path every time. This guide covers the File Explorer method, the command-line method, keeping the drive after a restart, and the errors people most often hit.

Everything here works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro. You need the share’s path and, usually, a user name and password for the device that hosts it.

Before you start: find the share path

A network share path has the form \\computer-name\share-name, for example \\nas\photos or \\office-pc\documents. You can also use the device’s IP address instead of its name, for example \\192.168.1.20\photos, which helps when name lookup is unreliable.

• On a NAS, the share names are listed in the device’s own web admin page.
• On another Windows PC, the folder must be shared first. Our guide to Windows 11 SMB file sharing explains the sharing side.
• If other computers do not appear when you open Network in File Explorer, turn on Windows 11 network discovery. Mapping by path works even when browsing does not.

Make sure both devices are on the same network and the connection is stable. A drive that keeps dropping is often a Wi-Fi issue; see Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting.

Method 1: map a network drive in File Explorer

1. Press Win+E to open File Explorer.
2. Select This PC in the left pane.
3. On the command bar, select See more (the three dots) and choose Map network drive. If it is not on that menu, right-click This PC in the left pane and choose it there.
4. In the Drive list, select a drive letter. Any unused letter works; letters near the end of the alphabet avoid clashes with USB drives.
5. In Folder, type the share path, or select Browse to pick it from the network.
6. Tick Reconnect at sign-in if you want the drive to come back every time you sign in.
7. Tick Connect using different credentials if the share uses an account that is different from your Windows sign-in, which is normal for a NAS.
8. Select Finish. Enter the user name and password for the share if asked. Ticking Remember my credentials saves them in Credential Manager so the drive reconnects without prompting.

The new drive appears under This PC in the Network locations group.

Method 2: map a drive with net use

The net use command does the same job from Command Prompt, PowerShell or Windows Terminal, and is handy in scripts:

net use Z: \\nas\photos /persistent:yes

• Z: is the drive letter, and the path is the share.
• /persistent:yes keeps the mapping across sign-ins.
• Add /user:name to connect with a different account; Windows prompts for the password. For a NAS account you may need /user:nas\name.
• Run net use on its own to list current mappings and their status.
• Run net use Z: /delete to remove a mapping.

PowerShell users can also use New-SmbMapping or New-PSDrive -Persist, but net use is the simplest and works in any terminal.

Disconnect or change a mapped drive

To remove a drive, right-click it under This PC and select Disconnect (on the classic menu, select Show more options first if you do not see it). To point the letter at a different share, disconnect it and map it again. If the saved password changed, open Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials, find the entry for the server and edit or remove it, then reconnect.

Common errors and fixes

“Windows can’t access \\server\share” or “The network path was not found.” Microsoft’s sharing page points to the simple causes first: the other device may be off or asleep, or you may not have permission. Check that you can reach it by IP address, that the share name is spelled correctly, and that you are not on a guest or public network that isolates devices.

“This share requires the obsolete SMB1 protocol.” Windows 11 does not include the SMB1 client or server after a clean installation, according to Microsoft. Devices that only speak SMB1 are usually old NAS units or routers with USB storage. Microsoft strongly recommends against reinstalling SMB1; check the device maker’s site for a firmware update that adds SMB2 or SMB3, or replace the device.

Access denied or a prompt that never accepts the password on a NAS that used to work without one. Windows 11 blocks insecure guest logons by default, and Microsoft notes that SMB signing is required by default from Windows 11 version 24H2, which can break guest access. The safe fix is on the NAS: create a user account with a password for the share and connect with Connect using different credentials. Microsoft documents a policy to re-enable guest logons but recommends that you do not use it, because it exposes the PC to spoofed servers and malware.

The drive shows a red X or “Unavailable” after a restart. Windows tried to reconnect before the network was up, or the NAS was asleep. Open the drive once to wake the connection. If it happens every day, check that the NAS does not use a sleep mode that drops shares, and that Wi-Fi connects before you sign in.

The drive is missing in a program run as administrator. Mappings belong to the sign-in session that created them. Microsoft explains that elevated programs run in a separate session, so the letter may not exist there. Map the drive again from the elevated window, or use the full \\server\share path in that program.

Mapped drive or network location?

On the same This PC context menu you will also see Add a network location. That adds a shortcut to a web or FTP location, not a drive letter. Use a mapped drive for SMB shares on your local network; use a network location for web folders. For cloud storage such as OneDrive, use the sync app instead; see OneDrive vs Google Drive on Windows if you are choosing between services.

Keep it safe

• Map only the folders you need, and use a separate account with its own password on the NAS rather than an admin account.
• A mapped drive is visible to anything running as you, including ransomware. Keep Microsoft Defender on, and keep a backup that is not permanently mapped.
• When you retire a NAS or change its address, disconnect the old letters so apps do not hang waiting for a missing server.