How do I enable file and print services?

Prerequisites

You will require the Group Policy Management Tools on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008, Windows or Server 2012. These are part of the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) availabale form the Microsoft web site.

Instructions

To enable access to File and Printer Sharing on computers using the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012) please follow these instuctions.

  1. Edit an existing Group Policy object or create a new one using the Group Policy Management Tool.
  2. Expand the Computer Configuration/Policies/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Windows Firewall with Advanced Security/Windows Firewall with Advanced Security/Inbound Rules node.
    How do I enable file and print services?
  3. Check the Predefined: radio button and select File and Pinter Sharing from the drop down list. Click Next
  4. Check the File and Pinter Sharing rules for the Domain Profile and click Next.
  5. Check the Allow the Connection radio botton and click Finish to exit and save the new rule.
  6. Make sure the Group Policy Object is applied to the relevant computers using the Group Policy Management Tool.

Procedures: (For Windows 7)


Author

How do I enable file and print services?

ociocmsadm

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Introduction

In this article, I describe how to enable or disable file and printer sharing in Windows 10.  This is a key feature in the Windows family for sharing files and printers on the network with other users.

We can also use this feature in Windows 10 to share files and printers on the network. The file-sharing feature is a process that enables the user to share files in a shared folder that are accessible to other users on the same network. Similarly, the printer sharing feature allows multiple computers to connect to the same network to access common printers. When the file and printer sharing feature is turned on, the files and printers that you share from the computer are accessed by other users on the same network.

When we need to share the file and printer with other users on the network, we have different options to enable it to use different methods such as command prompt, Windows PowerShell, and control panel.

This tutorial will show you the steps on how to enable or disable file and printer sharing in Windows 10.

Method 1. Using Command Prompt

By using the Command Prompt (Admin), the user can easily enable or disable file and printer sharing option. Follow the below instructions to proceed.

Step 1

From the Search, type the Command Prompt and right-click on it and select "Run as Administrator".

Step 2

A) To turn off (disable) the file and printer sharing option, type the following command in the command prompt.

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=No

How do I enable file and print services?

 

B) To turn on the file and printer sharing, type the following command in the command prompt.

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=Yes

How do I enable file and print services?

 

Method 2. Using Windows PowerShell (Admin)

By using Windows PowerShell, the user can easily enable or disable file and printer sharing option. Follow the below instructions to proceed.

Step 1

Open Windows PowerShell (Admin). (Alternatively, you can press the "Windows + X" key and click on "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" to open it.) 

Step 2

A) To turn off (disable) the File and printer sharing option for different profiles, type the following command in the Windows PowerShell (Admin).

1) For all Network Profile

Set-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "File And Printer Sharing" -Enabled False -Profile Any

How do I enable file and print services?

 

2)  Similarly, for Public Network Profile

Set-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "File And Printer Sharing" -Enabled False -Profile Public

B) To turn on (enable) the File and printer sharing option for different profiles, type the following command in the Windows PowerShell (Admin).

1) For all Network Profile

Set-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "File And Printer Sharing" -Enabled True -Profile Any

How do I enable file and print services?

 

2) Similarly, for Public Network Profile

Set-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "File And Printer Sharing" -Enabled True -Profile Public

Method 3. Through Control Panel

With the help of the Control Panel, the user can easily enable or disable file and printer sharing option. Follow the below instructions to proceed.

Step 1

Open Control Panel.

Step 2

Click on the "View network status and tasks" option under the "Network and Internet" section.

How do I enable file and print services?

 

Step 3

On the left side, click on the "Change advanced sharing settings" option.

How do I enable file and print services?

 

Step 4

Now, the users can choose the different network profiles as per their requirements.

A) To disable (turn off) the file and printer sharing option, click on the "Turn off file and printer sharing" option under the File and printer sharing section and click on the "Save changes" button.

How do I enable file and print services?

 

B) To enable the file and printer sharing option, click on the "Turn off file and printer sharing" option under the File and printer sharing section and click on the "Save Changes" button.

How do I enable file and print services?

 

Method 4. Using Network Connections

Step 1

Open Control Panel.

Step 2

Click on the "View network status and tasks" option under the "Network and Internet" section.

Step 3

On the left side, click on the "Change adapter settings".

Step 4

Now, select the network device, right-click on it and click on the "Properties" option.

How do I enable file and print services?

 

Step 5

Now, select (check) the "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" option and click on the "OK" button.

How do I enable file and print services?

 

Note

If the users want to turn on (enable) the file and printer sharing option, then they also should have to enable (turn on) the "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" option.

Conclusion

By following any of the above methods, you can enable or disable the file and printer sharing option in Windows 10.

I hope you enjoyed this article. Follow C# Corner to learn more new and amazing things about Windows 10.

Thanks for reading.

How do I enable file and printer?

Turn on Sharing in Settings.
Select the Start button, then select Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi..
Under Related settings, select Change advanced sharing options..
In the Advanced sharing settings dialog box, expand the Private section. ... .
Under File and printer sharing, select Turn on file and printer sharing..

How do I enable print services?

Turn printing on or off for your phone.
On your phone, open the Settings app ..
Tap Connected devices Connection preferences. Printing..
Tap a print service..
Turn the print service on or off..

How do I enable file and printer sharing in firewall?

Open Control Panel, click System and Security, and then click Windows Firewall. In the left pane, click Advanced settings, and in the console tree, click Inbound Rules. Under Inbound Rules, locate the rules File and Printer Sharing (NB-Session-In) and File and Printer Sharing (SMB-In).

How do I know if file and print sharing is enabled?

Open the classic Control Panel app. On the left, click the link Change advanced sharing settings. Expand the Private, Guest or Public network profile item to configure network sharing for each type of network. Enable the option Turn on file and printer sharing for the selected profile and you are done.