The two most popular computer operating systems that the majority of people use on a daily basis are Windows and Mac. Naturally, you may have one or both of them in your own house. On your own home network, sharing folders between the two is quick and safe, and it eliminates some of the annoyances and extra steps that come with external storage and the cloud.
Before sharing any files, all of your machines must be configured. This entails configuring file sharing on Windows and macOS and confirming your network connections.
Check network settings
First, make sure your Mac and Windows computers are both Ethernet or Wi-Fi linked to the same network. To verify connectivity on a Mac, check the Wi-Fi status in the menu bar or navigate to System Settings > Network.
To verify whether your network is Ethernet or Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Network & Internet on Windows.
Enable file sharing on macOS
Your Mac can exchange files with Windows and even Linux computers if you enable file sharing. After enabling “File Sharing” in System Settings > General > Sharing, click the tiny icon to the right of the toggle to bring up the Shared Folders configuration box. Choose “Options” in the Shared Folders setup window, make sure SMB File Sharing is enabled, and then turn on Windows File Sharing for your account.
To return to the Shared Folders window, select “Done”.
Add shared folders, users, and configure access
Your Mac is now prepared to share files and folders; however, you must first choose which ones to share and, if required, add users and their access methods.
Click the “+” or “–” buttons at the bottom of the Users pane to add or remove users.
Use Windows to access macOS shared folders
It is rather easy to access macOS shared folders on Windows. Click “File Explorer” and choose “Network” from the menu. Hopefully, the other device or devices on your network are visible to you. You can now access your Mac’s shared folder or folders after opening the desired place and entering your login information (you can choose to “Remember my Credentials” if you would like).
When your Mac resumes, you will need to provide your Mac username (such as “matt”) and the password you use to log in if you are the only person using it.
If your Mac does not appear as a network device, type its IP address into the address bar, and you should be prompted for your login information.
Installing something like wssd-native will allow you to see your devices in the Network view. “Your [macOS] machine is visible in Network view of Windows Explorer on recent versions of Windows” thanks to this easy patch.
File sharing from Windows
To make it simple to access shared folders from your Mac, you may then enable file sharing on your Windows computer.
Go to Network & Internet > Advanced Network Settings after opening “Settings” (you may do this by pressing Win+I). Choose Advanced Sharing Settings then File and Printer Sharing and Network Discovery
Finally, if you feel your private network is safe and secure, you can optionally Turn Off Password-Protected Sharing.
Add shared folders on Windows
It just takes a minute to share folders on Windows. You can choose “Properties” after right-selecting the folder you wish to share in “File Explorer” Choose the “Sharing” tab and then “Share” once the folder’s attributes are displayed.
Select “Share” after choosing the person who has access to this folder from other computers. Finally, click “Done” in the final window.
You can now access your share folder from other machines, including your Mac.
Use macOS to access Windows Shared Folders
The shared home folder on your Mac should now be accessible from your Windows computer. Choose “Network” from the left pane after opening Finder. “Connection Failed” will appear when you open your Windows computer in the Network window.
Select “Connect As” in the upper-right corner of the network window, then enter your network credentials.
You should now be able to access your shared Windows folders, with read and write privileges.
Well done! File sharing between your Mac and Windows devices is now operational. You may improve productivity and streamline your workflow by creating a smooth home network connection in a few easy steps. The procedure guarantees that your files are available from any device, eliminating the need for external devices or cloud storage, whether you are sharing media, work documents, or pictures.
Now that your file-sharing configuration is complete, you can start utilizing your multi-device network to its full potential. Continue exploring and take advantage of how simple it is to manage files across several computers with little work.
