Network discovery is a crucial feature in Windows 10 and 11 that allows devices on the same network to find and communicate with each other. However, sometimes users encounter the frustrating error message, “Network Discovery is Turned Off.” This error can prevent you from accessing shared files, printers, and other network resources. In this article, I will guide you through four effective methods to fix this error and restore network discovery on your Windows 10 and 11 devices.
Method 1: Change Advanced Sharing Settings
The first method to fix the “Network Discovery is Turned Off” error involves adjusting the advanced sharing settings on your Windows 10 and 11 devices. Follow these steps to do so:
- Open the Control Panel on your Windows device by typing “Control Panel” in the search bar and selecting it from the results.
- In the Control Panel, click on “Network and Internet” and then select “Network and Sharing Center.”
- From the left-hand menu, click on “Change advanced sharing settings.”
- In the Advanced Sharing Settings window, make sure that the following options are enabled:
- Network discovery: Turn it on to allow your device to discover other devices on the network.
- File and printer sharing: Enable this option to share files and printers with other devices.
- Public folder sharing: If you want to share files in the Public folder, turn this option on.
- Click on “Save Changes” to apply the settings.
By changing the advanced sharing settings, you are allowing your Windows 10 and 11 devices to actively search for other devices on the network, thus resolving the “Network Discovery is Turned Off” error.
Method 2: Manage Windows Services
In some cases, the error message “Network Discovery is Turned Off” can be caused by certain Windows services not running properly. To fix this, you can manage the Windows services related to network discovery. Follow these steps:
- Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “services.msc” in the Run dialog box and press Enter to open the Services window.
- In the Services window, scroll down and locate the following services:
- Function Discovery Provider Host
- Function Discovery Resource Publication
- SSDP Discovery
- Double-click on each service to open its properties.
- In the properties window, make sure that the startup type is set to “Automatic.” If it is not, select “Automatic” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on the “Start” button if the service is not running.
- Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
By managing the Windows services related to network discovery, you are ensuring that the necessary components are running correctly, thereby resolving the error and enabling network discovery on your Windows 10 and 11 devices.
Method 3: Adjust Firewall Settings
Firewall settings can sometimes interfere with network discovery, leading to the “Network Discovery is Turned Off” error. To fix this, you can adjust the firewall settings on your Windows 10 and 11 devices. Follow these steps:
- Open the Control Panel on your Windows device and navigate to “System and Security.”
- Click on “Windows Security” and then select “Firewall & network protection.”
- In the Firewall & network protection window, click on “Allow an app through firewall.”
- Click on the “Change settings” button and enter your administrator password if prompted.
- Scroll down and locate “Network Discovery” in the list of allowed apps and features.
- Make sure that both “Private” and “Public” are checked for “Network Discovery.”
- Click on “OK” to save the changes.
By adjusting the firewall settings to allow network discovery on both private and public networks, you are eliminating any potential firewall restrictions that may be causing the error.
Method 4: Reset Network
If none of the previous methods have resolved the “Network Discovery is Turned Off” error, you can try resetting the network settings on your Windows 10 and 11 devices. This will revert the network configurations back to their default settings. Follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your Windows device by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
- Click on “Network & Internet” and then select “Status.”
- Scroll down and click on “Network reset” at the bottom of the page.
- In the Network reset window, click on the “Reset now” button.
- A warning message will appear, informing you that this action will remove all network adapters and set other networking components back to their original settings. Click on “Yes” to proceed.
- Wait for the reset process to complete and then restart your computer.
By resetting the network settings, you are essentially starting fresh and allowing Windows to reconfigure the network components, which can help resolve the “Network Discovery is Turned Off” error.
