If you use Windows 10, you may have already discovered that, some time ago, Microsoft decided to eliminate the very interesting functionality of the Home Group , which, among other interesting aspects, offered the possibility of sharing printers, files and folders between devices and computers connected to the same home network.
Despite this, we have already explained to you on a previous occasion some simple and simple steps to continue sharing printers or files even when Grupo Hogar is no longer available.
Precisely, in this operating system, the hidden shared folders are also called under the name of “administrative shares” . And, as the name suggests, they are traditional shared folders, but they cannot be visible unless we try to access them using their full path.
This would simply be adding an extra layer of protection by creating a hidden Windows share.
Creating a shared and hidden folder in Windows 10 easily
First of all, we must start by opening the File Explorer . Then, we go to the folder that we want to share (and hide). Once we have found it, we click on it with the right mouse button, so that a menu opens where we will have to click on Properties .
Within the new window that will appear now, we must go to the Share tab, and then click on the Advanced Sharing button. Now, we mark the option Share this folder .
Then, in the Configuration tab, we write a shared name and, at the end, we add the $ character, which will help indicate to the system that this shared folder should remain hidden.
Now click on Apply , then on OK , and on the Share button. We use the drop-down menu to choose the user, or group, with whom we want to share the folder. For example, we can select a particular user or choose the Everyone group. Click on Add .
Then, in the Permission level section, we must select the type of permissions that we want that specific folder to have (Read, default option, or Read / Write). In case we choose this last option, it is necessary to bear in mind that the users who have access to it will be able to see it, open it, modify it or even delete the content that is inside that specific folder.
To finish, click on Share , Done , Apply and, finally, OK . Once this is done, the shared folder will be hidden when we use the File Explorer.
