File Sharing

Share Files from Your Mac to a PC

1. Open System Settings → General → Sharing
2. Turn on File Sharing
3. Click the i button next to File Sharing
4. Note the address shown (something like smb://192.168.1.100)
5. Under Shared Folders, add any folders you want to share
6. Under Users, set permissions for who can access what

On the Windows PC:

1. Open File Explorer
2. Type \\192.168.1.100 in the address bar (use your Mac's IP)
3. Enter your Mac username and password when prompted
4. The shared folders appear as network drives

To make it persistent on Windows, right-click the shared folder → Map Network Drive.

Share Files from a PC to Your Mac

1. On the PC, right-click a folder → Properties → Sharing → Share
2. Set permissions and note the network path

On your Mac:

1. Open Finder
2. Press Cmd + K (Connect to Server)
3. Type smb://192.168.1.50 (the PC's IP address)
4. Click Connect and enter your Windows credentials
5. Choose which shared folder to mount

The mounted drive appears in Finder's sidebar under Locations.

Quick SMB Sharing Table

From	To	Protocol	How to Connect
Mac	PC	SMB	\\mac-ip in File Explorer
PC	Mac	SMB	Cmd + K → smb://pc-ip in Finder
Mac	Mac	SMB/AFP	Finder sidebar under Network

Discovering Devices on the Network

From Your Mac

Open Finder → sidebar → Network. You should see all nearby Macs and PCs listed. If nothing shows up:

• Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network (or same subnet)
• On the PC, check that Network Discovery is turned on (Settings → Network → Advanced sharing settings)
• On the Mac, check that File Sharing is enabled

From Your PC

Open File Explorer → Network. Your Mac should appear if File Sharing is on. If not:

• Ensure both machines are on a Private network profile (not Public)
• Turn on Network Discovery and File and Printer Sharing in Windows settings