If you searched for ways to access your Windows files from your Android/iOS devices, chances are you landed on guides suggesting you to download all sorts of external applications, free or paid. Did you know that you absolutely don’t need any external application for file transfers across your devices? Well, now you do. Windows Network Share is a really easy way of sharing files, folders, or entire drives across devices on the same network. Let’s learn how to set up Windows Network Share to access your PC files from Android/iOS.
What Is Network File Sharing?
When you want to share a file or folder with someone, sometimes it is faster to share it over your local network, rather than uploading to the cloud or looking for a USB flash drive. This process is called network file sharing. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is also a valid option for file sharing remotely or on the local network but, it’s much more of a hassle to set up than Windows Network Share.
Windows Network Share utilizes the SMB protocol internally to make files, directories, or, entire drives available for read/write access for devices on the local network. While it’s super easy and swift to set up, it’s also a common target for adversaries. So, it’s wise that you learnhow the SMB protocol works and some common SMB vulnerabilitiesto ensure that your network perimeter isn’t breached.
How to Share a Windows Drive on Your Local Network
To access your computer’s files, you need to share them on the local network. For the demonstration, I’ll be sharing a drive on the local network. If you wish to share a folder or a single file instead, you can follow the same steps but with only the folder(s) and file(s) selected.
Before you dive into the steps, it’s recommended youcreate a separate, local Windows user accountto be used solely for network drive access.
Here are the steps to share files on the local network in Windows 10/11:
That’s all the steps to share your drive on the local network. However, if you run into any trouble, it’s recommended you check out thededicated guide on enabling Windows Network Share.
How to Access Your Windows Files From an Android Device
Now that you have shared the drive on the local network you’ll be able to access your newly shared drives and files from your Android device in just a few taps. Make sure your Android device and Windows PC are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. With these checks out of the way, let’s look at the steps to access Windows network shared files from Android:
Now, you should be able to access files on your Windows PC from your Android device. You can modify the files or download them to your Android device. All done without ever needing any external application!
On some devices, such as Samsung phones, when you click onNetwork Storage, you might be asked to update the Files app to add the network access functionality. Proceed to do so, and then return to the guide.
How to Access Your Windows Files From an iOS Device
The steps to access Windows files from iOS are pretty much identical to the steps required for Android devices. Here’s how you can access your Windows PC’s files from iOS:
Now you should be able to view the files on the shared drive. you’re able to now download, upload or modify the local files on your Windows PC with ease and without having to download any third-party application.
Access Your PC Files on iOS/Android Without Third-Party Apps
Now that you know how to access your PC files using Windows Network Share, uploading, downloading, and modifying files should be super easy to do. You won’t have to rely on downloading and testing third-party applications for minor tasks like copying over a PDF file from your Windows PC to your Android/iOS devices.
If you wish to share files between computers on the same network, that is possible as well. But, for heavy file sharing between two computers, a few alternatives to network sharing may be worth checking out if you’ll be sharing large chunks of data.
