How to Create Hidden Share Folder on Windows 11 & 10

On Windows, sharing a folder is a pretty simple task. By default, shared folders appear on the File Explorer’s Network page, making them easily accessible to users with proper permissions. But what if you want to share a folder without making it obvious to everyone? That’s where hidden shared folders come in. Unlike the regular shared folder, a hidden share folder will not appear in the File Explorer. Instead, you need to type the exact network path to access it.

In this quick Windows tutorial, let me show you the steps to create a hidden shared folder. Let’s get started.

Before You Begin

• You require administrator rights to create a hidden share on Windows.
• While sharing a folder over a network, make sure your network is set to private.
• The process and steps are tested to work on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Steps to Create Hidden Share on Windows

1. Press “Windows key + E” to open File Explorer.
2. Find and right-click the folder you want to share.
3. Select the “Properties” option.
4. Go to the “Sharing” tab.
5. Click the “Advanced Sharing” button.
6. Select the “Share this folder” checkbox.
7. Add “$” at the end of the name in the “Share name” field.
8. Click the “OK” button.
9. Click the “Share” button under the “Network File and Folder Sharing” section.
10. Add the user with whom you want to share the folder.
11. Change the permissions under the “Permission level”, if necessary.
12. Click the “Share” button.
13. Click “Done“.
14. That’s it. You’ve created a hidden share folder.
15. To access, type “\\ComputerName\FolderName$” in the File Explorer address bar.

Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)

First, open the File Explorer window, find the folder you want to share discretely, right-click on it, and select the “Properties” option.

Go to the “Sharing” tab in the “Properties” window and click the “Advanced Sharing” button.

Select the “Share this folder” checkbox. In the “Share name” field, ensure the folder name has no spaces and add a “$” at the end. For example, if the folder name is “MyShare,” it should become “MyShare$”. Finally, click the “OK” button to save the changes.

Click the “Share” button under the “Network File and Folder Sharing” section in the “Properties” window.

In this window, you’ll see the list of users the folder is currently shared with. If the specific user isn’t listed, type their username in the field at the top and click the “Add” button. Next, set the sharing permissions using the dropdown menu in the “Permission level” column. For example, if you want the user to have both read and write permissions, select “Read/Write“.

Once done, click the “Share” button at the bottom.

Click the “Done” button and you’ve successfully created the hidden shared folder.

To access the hidden shared folder, open File Explorer and type the full path of the shared folder. Remember to add a “$” at the end of the folder name. For example: \\ComputerName\FolderName$.

Note: You can find the shared folder path in the “Sharing” tab of the folder’s properties window.

That is all. It is that simple to create a hidden shared folder on Windows. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.