How to Change a Network From Public to Private in Windows 11 and 10

Windows labeled your home Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection a “Public network,” and now your network printer, shared folders, or other PCs won’t show up. Switching the network profile to Private takes about 30 seconds in Settings.

Fix #1: Change the network profile in Windows 11 Settings

Windows puts every connection in one of three profiles: Public, Private, or Domain. Public keeps your PC from being discoverable by other devices and blocks ordinary file and printer sharing. Private lets trusted devices find each other. Domain applies automatically on work PCs joined to a company domain, so you won’t pick it yourself.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select Network & internet in the left pane.

3. Click Wi-Fi for a wireless connection. For a wired connection, click Ethernet and skip to step 5.
4. Click the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to. Depending on your Windows 11 release, this entry shows the network name or reads [network name] properties.

5. Find Network profile type and select Private network.

The change applies immediately. You don’t need to restart. An app that depends on network discovery, like a file-sync tool or a printer utility, may need a restart before it finds other devices.

Only pick Private if you trust the Wi-Fi router and every device on that network. Windows labels Public as “Recommended” for a reason. Keep it on hotel, café, airport, and guest Wi-Fi.

Fix #2: Change the network profile in Windows 10 Settings

The steps match Windows 11, but the labels differ slightly and can shift between Windows 10 releases.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.

2. Click Network & Internet.
3. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet in the left pane, depending on how you’re connected.

4. Click the network that shows Connected.
5. Under Network profile, choose Private.

On some Windows 10 builds, the profile choice sits on the connection’s Properties page instead of its own heading. If you can’t find it, click Properties under the connected network and look there.

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so it no longer gets security updates unless the PC is enrolled in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. Check Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update to see whether your PC is still getting updates.

Fix #3: Turn on network discovery and file sharing

This is where a lot of readers get stuck. You switched to Private, but the other PC still doesn’t show up. The profile only tells Windows the network is trusted. It doesn’t switch on sharing by itself.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings.
2. Click Advanced sharing settings.

3. Expand Private networks and turn on Network discovery.
4. Turn on File and printer sharing in the same section.

5. Expand Public networks and leave both toggles off.

On Windows 10, the label and location vary by release. Type “advanced sharing settings” into the Settings search box to jump straight to it.

Turn on only what you need. If you just want to print, you don’t need Remote Desktop open too.

Fix #4: Check which profile Windows is applying

Sometimes you change the right setting on the wrong adapter. Windows Security shows which profile the firewall is using right now.

1. Open the Start menu, type Windows Security, and open it.
2. Click Firewall & network protection.

3. Look for the profile marked (active). That’s the one Windows is applying to your current connection.

If Public still shows as active, you probably changed a saved network you aren’t connected to, or you’re on a different adapter than you thought. Plugging in a USB-C dock with an Ethernet port, or switching to a USB Wi-Fi adapter, creates a new connection that usually starts out as Public.

Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center also lists your active network and its type on some Windows versions. Use it to look, but make the change in Settings.

Fix #5: Force the profile with PowerShell

Use this when the profile option is missing in Settings or keeps reverting. It targets one specific adapter, so there’s no guessing.

1. Right-click Start and choose the admin PowerShell or Terminal option. The label varies by Windows version. Click Yes at the User Account Control prompt.

2. Type Get-NetConnectionProfile and press Enter (Microsoft’s Get-NetConnectionProfile reference lists every field). You’ll see each connection’s Name, InterfaceAlias, InterfaceIndex, and NetworkCategory. Note the InterfaceIndex of the adapter showing Public.

3. Run Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex 8 -NetworkCategory Private, replacing 8 with your adapter’s index.

4. Run Get-NetConnectionProfile again. The adapter should now show NetworkCategory : Private.

You can also target the adapter by name with Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi" -NetworkCategory Private. I’d stick with -InterfaceIndex, though. Virtual adapters from VPNs and virtual machines can carry similar names, and the index removes any doubt.

To switch back, run Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi" -NetworkCategory Public.

If the PC is joined to a work domain, don’t force it to Private. It should report DomainAuthenticated when it reaches the domain. If it shows Public, the problem is usually DNS or connectivity to the domain controller, which is a job for your IT team.

Fix #6: Set the network location in Local Security Policy

This is the last resort, and it’s the most heavy-handed option here. The Local Security Policy editor isn’t available on Windows Home editions. A policy set here also overrides the Settings toggle, so you can’t change the profile from Settings later until you undo it.

1. Press Windows + R, type secpol.msc, and press Enter.

2. Click Network List Manager Policies in the left pane. In the right pane, look for your network’s name, such as your Wi-Fi name. It’s the entry without a description.

3. Double-click your network and open the Network Location tab.
4. Under Location type, select Private and click OK.

Don’t edit the All Networks entry. Setting everything to Private is risky on a laptop that joins café or hotel Wi-Fi. To undo this later, set Location type back to Not configured.

Why the Private option won’t appear or keeps reverting

If the profile choice is missing in Settings, check these first:

• You’re looking at a saved network you aren’t connected to. Connect to it, then try again.
• You opened a VPN or virtual adapter instead of your physical Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection.
• Windows hasn’t finished detecting the network. Wait a minute after connecting.
• Your PC is managed by a school or employer, and a policy controls the setting.

If it flips back to Public on its own, the usual causes are Group Policy or device-management enforcement, a network adapter driver update, VPN or security software, or a network reset. Run Get-NetConnectionProfile to confirm which adapter you’re actually using.

Still can’t see another PC after going Private? Confirm both devices are on the same network, the shared folder’s permissions allow access, and the other device isn’t blocking file-sharing traffic. Don’t turn the firewall off globally to fix this.

When the fixes don’t work

On a work or school PC, contact your IT team. The profile is almost always locked by policy, and forcing it can break domain access. On a home PC, temporarily disable any third-party security suite or VPN and check the profile again. If it sticks with those off, look for a trusted-network setting in that software.

Which fix works best

Fix #1 or Fix #2 (the Settings toggle) sorts this out on a typical home PC. If your printer finally appears but other PCs still don’t, Fix #3 is the missing piece, since Private doesn’t turn on sharing by itself. If the profile keeps reverting after every reboot or dock connection, go straight to PowerShell and check which adapter is really active. And if a PC stays stuck on Public even after that, suspect policy or security software before blaming Windows.