You can change a network from Public to Private with a single click in Windows 11. Here is how to do it in simple and easy steps.
When you connect to a new network in Windows 11, it will automatically set it to Public. If necessary, Windows 11 will ask whether you want to set the connected network to private or public. Generally, you should set your network Public unless you specifically need it. That way, your PC is safe and secure from unauthorized access on a network.
If you don’t know, a PC set to Public blocks anyone on that network from connecting to it. You will have full control. If you are wondering, PCs connected to corporate, school, or organizational networks are usually set to Private. That way, the PCs on that network are semi-restricted, visible on the network, and anyone with proper credentials (when configured properly) can connect to them.
To put it simply, unless you specifically want everyone on the network to access your PC, it is recommended that you set your PC to Public while configuring its network. If you accidentally or intentionally set your Windows 11 computer to the Public, you can change its network to Private with just a couple of clicks. That way, you can allow users to access your computer and its resources as and when needed. After setting your PC to Private, you can share folders and allow access to your PC in a controlled way.
So, without ado, let me show you how to change the Public network to Private in Windows 11 using simple steps and screenshots.
Table of contents:
Change Public network to Private in Windows 11
To change a network from Public to Private, all you have to do is select a radio option and you are good to. You can do that from the Settings app. Here are the exact steps you should follow.
Note: Before proceeding, make sure you are connected to the network you want to change from Public to Private.
- Use the “Start + I” to open Settings.
- Choose “Network & Internet” on the sidebar.
- Click on the “Properties” option.
- Choose the “Private” option.
- Close the Settings app.
- With that, you have chagned the network from Public to Private.
Same steps with screenshots and a bit more detail:
The first thing to do is open the Settings app in Windows 11. As usual, you can either press the good old “Start key + I” keyboard shortcut or click on the Settings icon in the Quick Settings flyout menu.
After opening the Settings app, select the “Network & Internet” option on the sidebar. It shows all the network related options and currently connected network status. Here, click on the “Properties” option appearing at the top.
The above action will open the network properties page. Here, choose the “Private” radio option. As soon as you do that, the network type is changed from Public to Private. Sometimes the network might disconnect and reconnect automatically causing network interuption.
That is all. It is that simple to change Public network to Private in Windows 11 via the Settings app.
PowerShell command to change Public network to Private
If you are not afride of using commands, you can use a simple PowerShell command to modify Public network to private. It is pretty simple to do. Basically, you can get the network name and then use it to set the network from Public to Private. Let me show you how to do it in simple steps.
- Right-click on the Start menu.
- Choose the “Windows Terminal (Admin)” option.
- Type “
Get-NetConnectionProfile” and press Enter. - Find your network and copy its “Name”
- Execute the below command while replacing “NetworkName” with the actual network name.
Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name "NetworkName" -NetworkCategory Private - Finally, close the Terminal window.
- With that, the network is changed from Public to Private.
That is all. It is that simple to change Public network to Private in Windows 11.
I hope this simple and easy Windows 11 how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.
