How Do I Share a Printer Without Password Windows 11?

To share a printer without requiring a password on Windows 11, you need to turn off password protected sharing in the Network and Sharing Center.

Sharing a printer on your Windows 11 network allows other devices to print without needing a physical connection. By default, Windows often requires users to enter a password to access shared resources, including printers. However, you can disable this requirement for easier access within your local network.

Steps to Turn Off Password Protected Sharing

The primary method to enable password-free sharing for resources like printers is to adjust your advanced sharing settings.

Here is how you do it:

1. Open Control Panel. You can find this by searching for "Control Panel" in the Windows search bar.
2. Navigate to Network and Sharing Center.
3. Click on Change advanced sharing settings in the left-hand pane.
4. Expand the section labeled All Networks.
5. Under the "Password protected sharing" section, select Turn off password protected sharing.
6. Click Save changes.

Reference Information: Go to Control Panel Network and Sharing Center Change advanced sharing settings. Under All Networks, turn off password protected sharing. Click Save changes.

By turning off this setting, any device on your network can access shared folders and printers without needing to authenticate with a user account and password from the computer sharing the resource.

Implications of Disabling Password Protected Sharing

While convenient, turning off password protected sharing makes your shared resources accessible to anyone on your local network without credentials.

Consider the following:

• Security Risk: If your network is not secure (e.g., an open Wi-Fi network), anyone connected could potentially access your shared files and printers.
• Network Type: This setting impacts sharing differently depending on whether your network is set as "Public" or "Private." Turning off password protection is generally less risky on a trusted "Private" network.
• Guest Access: Essentially, this allows 'Guest' accounts (or any network user) full access to shared resources.

It is generally recommended to only disable password protection on secure, private networks where you trust all connected devices and users.

Sharing the Printer Itself

Disabling password protection removes the password requirement for accessing shared resources. You still need to ensure the printer is properly shared on the host computer.

Here are the general steps to share a printer in Windows 11 (assuming it's already installed):

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices.
3. Click on Printers & scanners.
4. Select the printer you want to share.
5. Click on Printer properties.
6. Go to the Sharing tab.
7. Check the box that says Share this printer.
8. Give it a recognizable Share name.
9. Click Apply, then OK.

Once the printer is shared and password protected sharing is turned off, other computers on your network should be able to add the printer by browsing the network or by entering the network path to the shared printer (e.g., \\ComputerName\ShareName).

Summary Table: Sharing Without Password

Step	Location	Action
Disable Password Protection	Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Advanced Sharing Settings > All Networks	Turn off password protected sharing
Share the Printer (if needed)	Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > [Your Printer] > Printer properties > Sharing Tab	Check "Share this printer", provide name

By combining the act of sharing the printer and disabling password protected sharing, you allow other network users to connect and print without needing specific user credentials.