Guide: Fix ‘Network Discovery Is Turned off on Windows 10’ Issue
Sharing the network feature you can share files and devices, such as printers, with other devices on the same network. However, network discovery must be turned on to use it. Unfortunately, for some users, the network discovery setting is turned off automatically. That is, they cannot turn on network discovery in Windows 10 even after repeated attempts. Every time they start using network sharing or click the network icon, Windows 10 shows the error ‘Network discovery is disabled. Network computers and devices are not visible. Turn on Network discovery in Network and Sharing Center. ‘ So if you are also facing the problem where network discovery keeps turning off, you have come to the right place. Here are 8 ways to fix the problem. Let’s take a look at the solutions.
1. Restart the PC
Before jumping to the other solutions, try the basic solution. That is, reboot your PC and check if the problem got fixed.
2. Choose the correct sharing mode
Windows offers two network profiles: public and private. You have to take care of two things related to this. First, enable network sharing only by private profile and secondly, make sure you have the current network set to private profile. Sometimes private sharing is turned on while using a public profile. That causes problems. So here’s what to do. Step 1: Click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar to display the connected and available Wi-Fi networks.
Step 2: Click the connected network and select Properties from the menu.
Step 3: Check the selected profile under Network profile. If you are on a trusted network, choose Private.
Step 4: Click on the same screen on the back button at the top to go to Network Settings.
Step 5: Click on Status in the left sidebar, followed by Sharing options on the right.
Step 6: You will be taken to the Advanced Sharing Settings screen. If you selected Private Profile in step 3, open the Private Profile settings. Check the box next to Enable network discovery and Enable automatic installation of network-connected devices. And if you selected Public profile, enable these two options. Note: You can also reach the Advanced sharing settings screen from Windows Settings> Network & Internet> Status> Sharing options. Step 7: Click Save Changes. Then you can check if the problem is resolved. If not, read on.
3. Change the dependency services settings
Sometimes the problem with the dependency services related to network discovery also causes problems. The services are DNS Client, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery and UPnP Device Host. You have to check whether they are active or not. To do this, follow these steps: Step 1: Type Services in Windows Search in the taskbar. Click on the first item.
Step 2: Find DNS Client on the Services screen. Right click on it and select Properties.
Step 3: In the Properties, first make sure that the service status is Active. If anything else is displayed, click Start buttonThen check the startup type. It should be set to Automatic.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 for other services – Feature Discovery Source Publication, SSDP Discovery, and UPnP Device Host. Step 5: Restart your PC.
4. Allow network discovery in Firewall settings
Sometimes network discovery doesn’t work because Windows Firewall blocks it on your PC. Here is how to Fix it. Step 1: Open the Control Panel on your PC. You can use the Windows search to find it. Step 2: Click Windows Defender Firewall. Note: Make sure ‘View by’ is either small icons or large icons.
Step 3: Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
Step 4: Click on Change Settings. Then scroll down and look for Network discovery. Enable it for your network profile (private or public). Press Ok to save the changes.
Step 5: Repeat method 1 to ensure that network discovery is properly enabled for the correct profile.
5. Run the troubleshooter
Microsoft comes with a built-in troubleshooter that is known to fix several issues. You should also run it to fix this problem. To do this, follow these steps: Step 1: Open Windows Settings and go to Update & Security. Step 2: Click on Troubleshoot in the left sidebar. On the right, click Network adapter and click Run the troubleshooter buttonFollow the onscreen instructions to complete the process. Then click on Shared Folders and also run the troubleshooter.
6. Disable Antivirus and Firewall
Often times, your antivirus program is also responsible for interruptions that prevent network discovery from turning on. Try updating it first. If the problem persists then turn it off for a while to check if this is the main cause. If you are using third party firewall apps, try to disable them to find the culprit. Once turned off, restart the PC and see if the problem is gone.
7. Update the network adapter
An old or damaged network adapter can also lead to network problems features like network sharing. So you have to upkeep up to date. To do this, follow these steps: Step 1: Right-click on the Start Menu icon and select Device Manager.
Step 2: Click the small button next to Network adapters. Right-click on your network adapter and select Update Driver from the menu. Choose automatically on the pop-up window and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process. Pro Tip If the problem persists, try removing the network driver.
8. Reset network settings
Finally, if nothing works then it’s time to reset the network settings. Resetting the network will not delete the data on your PC, but will return all network-related settings to their original values. Follow these steps to reset the network: Step 1: Open Settings and go to Network & Internet. Step 2: Choose Status on the left. Scroll down and click on Network reset. Confirm on the next screen.
Step 3: Restart your PC.
Be careful
We hope that the solutions above fixed the network detection that prevented the problem on your Windows device from turning on. Once the problem is resolved, turn off network discovery when not in use. Since leaving it on for network sharing changes the firewall settings making your PC a little bit of a security risk. So hold it out. The next up Sharing files feature of Windows does not work for Android. Know how to share files between Android and Windows.
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