The network sharing feature on Windows has been around for quite some time now and lets users share files between computers on the same network. However, it’s not always smooth sailing.

In this article, we’re going over eight ways you can fix the ‘Network Discovery is Turned Off’ error in Windows 10.

Restart your PC

The first thing you should try is simply restarting your PC. Restarting your PC or just about any device for that matter can help resolve seemingly random issues almost magically.

Also read: How to fix the ‘WiFi connected but no internet access’ issue?

Disable antivirus and any third-party firewalls

Another thing that should on your diagnostics list is to disable your antivirus temporarily and check if you can share files through your network then. If you’re using any third-party firewalls, they can also cause conflict with network communications under the pretext of keeping you safe.

Make sure you’ve selected the right sharing mode

Windows offers two separate network profiles — public and private. You need to make sure you’ve selected the right profile according to the type of network you’re using.

We recommend turning on network discovery only for private networks and then changing any networks you’re using to share files to private.

Step 1: Click on the network icon in your taskbar and then click on Properties under your active WiFi network.

Step 2: Under Network Profiles, make sure that Private is selected.

Step 3: Now head over to Network settings using the back button on the same page.

Step 4: Click on Change advanced sharing options.

Step 5: On this page, make sure you enable network discovery and file and printer sharing if you want to use the feature.

Also read: How to view and change Microsoft Store install location in Windows 10?

Change dependency service settings

Issues with dependency services related to network discovery can also cause conflicts with the feature. These services are DNS Client, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery and UPnP Device host.

You need to ensure all these services are running. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for services. Launch the services app from the search results.

How to fix the 'Network Discovery is Turned Off' error in Windows 10?

Step 2; Find the DNS Client services, right-click it and select Properties.

Step 3: Make sure the service is running and the Startup type dropdown is set to Automatic. If the service isn’t running, you can start it by clicking on the Start button.

Repeat steps three and four for the following services.

Function Discovery Resource Publication.
SSDP Discovery.
UPnP Device Host.

Once done, restart your PC and try again and the network discover is turned off error should be fixed.

Also read: How to fix Net Err_Empty_Response error?

Allow network discovery through the Windows firewall

At times, the Windows Firewall can end up blocking network discovery causing this error. Here’s how to fix this.

Step 1: Press the Windows key on your keyboard and search for allow an app through the firewall. Click on the corresponding option.

Step 2: Click the Change settings button to be able to make changes.

Step 3: Make sure Network Discovery is enabled to pass through the Windows Firewall.

Restart your PC and try again.

Also read: How to install and use Zsh in Windows 10?

Run the Windows troubleshooter

Windows 10 comes with a bunch of handy troubleshooters that are quite effective at rooting out problems from your PC. Try running the Network Adaptor troubleshooter to see if it can resolve the issue.

Step 1: Press Windows Key + I to open Windows Settings. Click on Update and Security.

Step 2: Head over to the Troubleshoot tab and click on Additional troubleshooter.

Step 3: Find and run the Network Adaptor troubleshooter.

Once the troubleshooter has finished running, restart your PC and try again. The network discover is turned off error should be fixed.

Also read: How to map and access Webdav drive in Windows 10?

Update your network adaptor

Out of date drives on your network adaptor can cause all sorts of random bugs and glitches. Here’s how you can update the driver on your network adaptor.

Step 1: Press Windows key + R, type in devmgmt.msc and hit enter.