How to Save a Username and Password for a Network Location in Windows 10

Windows 10 can remember the credentials for a network share. Select Remember my credentials when the sign-in prompt appears, or save the account in Credential Manager before connecting. The stored sign-in belongs to the Windows user profile on this PC; it does not create an account on the server or grant access you have not been given.

This guide covers shared folders and mapped network drives, such as \\server\share. If you know the address, you can open it directly in File Explorer. Network Discovery is needed to browse for devices under Network, not to save credentials for a known path.

Support note: Windows 10 Home and Pro reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft no longer provides standard security updates for those editions after that date. See the Windows 10 lifecycle details.

Before you save the login

Get the exact network path and an account that is authorized for it. A UNC path has this format: \\server\share. For example, \\fileserver\Shared points to the Shared folder on a computer named fileserver.

At the prompt, enter the account for the remote computer or organization. Depending on how the network is set up, the username may look like SERVER\username, DOMAIN\username, or user@domain. Use the account password; a Windows Hello PIN for your PC is not the remote account password. If you are unsure which account to use, ask the network administrator.

Save credentials when you open the share

1. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
2. Select the address bar, type the full share path, such as \\fileserver\Shared, and press Enter. You can use this path even if Network Discovery is off.

3. When Windows asks for network credentials, enter the authorized username and password. Select Remember my credentials, then choose OK.

4. Wait for the shared folder to open. Close it and open the same path again to confirm Windows reuses the saved sign-in.

If the prompt has no remember option or you want to add the login first, use Credential Manager instead.

Add the network login in Credential Manager

1. Type Credential Manager in the taskbar search box and open the Control Panel result.
2. Select Windows Credentials, then choose Add a Windows credential.

3. In Internet or network address, enter the server name used in the UNC path. For \\fileserver\Shared, enter fileserver. Use the same spelling or IP address that you use when connecting.
4. Enter the authorized username and password, then select Save.
5. Return to File Explorer and open the share path. Windows should use the saved entry for that server.

Microsoft’s Credential Manager guide explains how to open the Windows Credentials list and manage saved entries.

Map the share so it reconnects at sign-in

A mapped drive gives the share a drive letter; it is optional and separate from saving the password. In File Explorer, select This PC, open the Computer tab, and choose Map network drive. Select an available letter and enter the UNC path in the Folder box.

Select Reconnect at sign-in if you want the drive restored each time you sign in. If the share needs another account, select Connect using different credentials. Choose Finish, then enter the authorized login if Windows prompts you and save it. Microsoft’s network sharing guide also covers mapping a drive and reconnecting it at sign-in.

Turn on Network Discovery only if you need to browse

If the device does not appear under File Explorer’s Network section, Network Discovery may be off. On a trusted home or work network, set the network profile to Private, then open Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings. Expand Private, turn on Network discovery, and save the change.

Do not mark a public Wi-Fi network as Private just to find a share. You also do not need to turn off password-protected sharing to save credentials; keep the share protected and use the account its owner provided. Microsoft’s file-sharing instructions describe the current discovery settings.

Update or remove a saved network password

To check an entry, search for Credential Manager, open Windows Credentials, and expand the entry for the server. To clear an old password, select Remove and confirm. Then reopen the share and enter the updated credentials. This is useful after a password change or when Windows keeps trying an old account.

If Windows still asks for credentials

• Check that the server is online, the share name is correct, and the account has permission. Saving a password cannot fix a missing share or insufficient access.
• Use the same server name or IP address in Credential Manager and in the UNC path. Remove an outdated entry if it points to the wrong account.
• If Windows reports that multiple connections to the same server with different usernames are not allowed, disconnect the existing mapped drive or network session, then reconnect with one account. See Microsoft’s network-share credentials troubleshooting guidance.
• Only save credentials on a PC you control. Anyone who can use your Windows account may be able to access shares available to it.

Once the correct account is saved, Windows can reuse it for that network location until the credential changes or you remove it from Credential Manager.