If a shared folder shows up under Network in File Explorer, but clicking it gives you "Access Denied" or "You don't have permission to access this folder," the visibility part is already working — the problem is specifically with the permissions configured on that folder or the credentials you're connecting with.

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Fix 1: check the sharing permissions on the source computer

On the computer that's actually hosting the shared folder:

  1. Right-click the folder → Properties
  2. Go to the Sharing tab → click Advanced Sharing
  3. Click Permissions
  4. Confirm the specific user or group you're trying to connect as has at least Read permission (or Read/Write if you need to edit files, not just view them)
  5. If your account isn't listed, click Add and add it specifically

Fix 2: check NTFS (security tab) permissions too

This is the part people most often miss — sharing permissions and NTFS security permissions are two separate, independent systems in Windows, and both need to allow access for it to actually work:

  1. Same folder → Properties → this time go to the Security tab (not Sharing)
  2. Click Edit, then check whether your account or a group you belong to has the appropriate permissions listed
  3. If needed, click Add to grant the specific account access here as well

Why both matter: Windows uses the more restrictive of the two permission systems whenever they conflict. If Sharing permissions allow full access but NTFS permissions don't, NTFS wins — and vice versa. Both need to actually permit access, not just one.

Fix 3: confirm you're connecting with the right credentials

If the shared folder is on a different user account or a different Windows network setup (e.g., not part of the same domain or Microsoft account), you may be prompted for credentials — and entering the wrong ones (or having Windows silently try cached, incorrect credentials) causes this exact error:

  1. Try accessing the folder via its IP address or computer name directly: press Windows key + R, type \\computername\sharename or \\192.168.x.x\sharename
  2. If prompted, make sure you're entering the credentials for an account that actually exists on the host computer, not necessarily your own computer's login

Fix 4: clear cached/saved credentials that may be incorrect

If Windows is automatically attempting to connect with old, incorrect saved credentials rather than prompting you fresh:

  1. Search for and open Credential Manager
  2. Click Windows Credentials
  3. Look for any entries related to the specific computer or network share, and remove them
  4. Try accessing the folder again — you should be prompted fresh for credentials

If this is on a work/domain-managed network

If you're on a company-managed Active Directory or Microsoft 365 environment, folder permissions are often centrally managed by IT rather than something you (or even the file owner) can change directly. In that case, the fastest path is requesting access through IT directly, citing the specific folder path and the access denied message.