Want to access your folders from Windows on your Mac? Here’s how you can share any Windows folder with a Mac.
Have you ever wanted to access your Windows files from your MacBook? Generally, most people think they need a special third-party app to do so. However, you can use the native Windows share to quickly and easily access any folder from your Windows computer on your MacBook. All you need to do is configure the network sharing settings of the folder you want to access on your MacBook.
In this quick and easy guide, I will show you how you can share your Windows folder with a MacBook. Let’s get started.
Before You Start
- Both systems (Windows and Mac) should be on the same network to access the shared folder.
- On your Windows computer, make sure your current network is set as a private network.
- Important: Make sure Password Protected Sharing is enabled. To do it, go to the “Settings” > “Network & internet” > “Advanced sharing settings” page, expand the “All networks” section, and turn ON the “Password Protected Sharing” toggle.
- Administrator rights are required to share a folder in Windows.
Steps to Share a Folder From Windows to Mac
There are two major steps for sharing a Windows folder with mac. i.e., share the folder and then access it on your MacBook. Here’s how to do it.
On Your Windows Laptop/Desktop:
First, open the File Explorer by pressing the “Windows key + I” shortcut. Next, find the folder you want to share, right-click it, select “Show more options“, and then select the “Properties” option.
Go to the “Sharing” tab in the Properties window. Next, click the “Share” button.
Click the “Share” button. If you see a UAC prompt, click “Yes” to continue.
With that, you’ve shared this specific folder on your network.
After sharing the folder, you need to know the local IP address of your choice. For that, right-click the “Network” icon in the system tray on the taskbar and select “Network and Internet Settings“.
Click the “Properties” option at the top.
Scroll down, and you will see your local IP address next to “IPv4 address“. In my case, that IP address is 10.10.10.21.
On Your Mac:
Now, on your Mac computer, open Finder. Next, click the “Go” option and then select the “Connect to server” option.
Now, type the local IP address of your Windows computer and click the “Connect” button.
If it prompts for a password, type your user account name and password, then click “OK“. It immediately shows all available shares. Click the “OK” button.
A quick tip: Select the “Remember password” checkbox to make connecting to this share easier.
As soon as you do that, Mac will mount the Windows shared folder and show it in the Finder app.
->> Optional tips to make accessing shared Windows folders easier on Mac:
By default, Mac automatically unmounts the network drive when it is no longer available. To make connecting to it easier, you can add it to the saved list. To do that, open the Finder app, click “Go”, and select “Connect to server”. Now, ensure your computer’s IP address is already filled in the top field and click the “Add” (+) button.
If you want your Mac to automatically mount the network folder, you need to add it to the login. To that, open “System Settings”, go to “General” > “Login Items & Extensions”, and click the “Add” button under “Open at Login”. Next, browse to and select your shared folder, then click “Open”. That is it. With that, you’ve added the shared folder to the login items. From now on, your Mac will automatically mount the shared folder every time you log in.
That is all. It is that simple to share a folder from Windows to Mac. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
