How to View Permissions on Shared Folders on Windows 10/11.
This guide contains detailed steps to view permissions on shared folders to find out which user on your network can view, edit, or delete files in them. It also shows a way to see user permissions on all shared folders and files.
When sharing files and folders, it is important to frequently check who has access to them and with what permissions. This eliminates the risk of unauthorized access to your data and keeps your security intact.
If you want to find out which users on your network can access your shared files and folders and with what permissions, keep reading below.
TIP: To easily find out which folders are shared on a computer, press the Windows + R keys to open the RUN command box, type the following command* and click OK:
-
\\ComputerName
* Where "ComputerName" is the name of the PC. (for example: if the PC is named "Desktop1" type: "\\Desktop12")
How to Check User Permissions on Shared Folders/Files in Windows.
Method 1. View User Permissions on an Individual Shared Folder or File.
If you want to see user permissions on a particular shared file or folder, follow these steps:*
* Note: This method is only convenient if you want to examine the permissions on one or a few shared folders or files. If you want to see the permissions on many shared folders or files at once, see the instructions on method 2.
1. Right-click on the shared folder or file and select Properties from the context menu.
2. Then select the Security tab. Here, under "Groups or Names", you'll see a list of all users who have access to the shared folder or file.
3. To quick view the permissions of a particular (or group) on the shared folder/file, select that user (or group) and see below in the "Permissions" section the level of its access.
4. To get a more comprehensive list of all users and their permissions on the selected shared folder (or file), click the Advanced button.
5. Here, under Permission Entries, you will find a list of all users and their permissions in this particular shared folder.
Method 2. View User Permissions on All Shared Folders and Files.
The above way is great when you need to find out the user permissions on a single or few shared folders or files. But, if you need to check users' rights on many shared folders or files, this is not convenient. In this case, to make your life easier, do the following:
1. Download AccessEnum – Sysinternals tool from Microsoft.*
* Info: AccessEnum is a small utility that displays who has access to the files and folders within a directory. Although every file/directory is examined, AccessEnum displays only those with permissions that differ from their parent folder, allowing you to quickly determine deviations in your security policy.
2. Extract the downloaded "AccessEnum.zip" file and run AccessEnum.exe.
3. Click the Directory button and select the shared folder you want to view the users' permissions on, or the drive that contains the shared folders.
4. After selecting the shared directory (e.g. the "C:\Shares" folder in this example), click the Scan button.
5. After a while, you will see on the screen all the shared folders and files in the selected path along with the detailed users' permissions on them.
That's it! Which method worked for you?
Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
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