HomeGroup is gone in Windows 10 version 1803!

Anonymous
2018-05-02T17:42:48+00:00

My PC upgraded to Windows 10 Pro version 1803 yesterday during automatic updates. This morning I attempted to view files in my network. Home Group is no longer available in this newest update. It seems in their wisdom they decided it was not needed and provided other solutions to share files/directories. I following the instructions to share files/directories via Windows Explorer. Guess what? You can not share directories only individual files at one time. This is not acceptable. After much trial and error I found a work around. As long as you have the name of the PC in your network you can enter "\PCNAME" and it should give you access. Bring back Home Group to the Windows operating system!

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

70 answers

Sort by: Newest
  1. Anonymous
    2018-10-10T19:20:13+00:00

    Larry,

    So you are saying that "Settings > System > Shared Experience> Nearby Sharing using WiFi" appears to have worked for Ethernet too?  The process that I reported earlier in this thread worked, but it involved several steps so finding something that is simpler would be nice.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2018-10-10T16:32:17+00:00

    Steven, both my desktops are connected to my Netgear R7000 router via ethernet and my laptop by internal WiFi card. My drives and files are discoverable either way.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2018-10-10T15:39:06+00:00

    After upgrading to version 1809 I experienced the same issue with discovery of other Windows 10 PC's and shared files. I became aware of a 'new feature' in Windows 10 ( after a through review of all items in the 'Setting Menu's' ) which became available in 1803 but wasn't really hilite'd enough by Microsoft or the press.  Windows Settings/System/Shared Experience/Nearby Sharing using WiFi. Once turning on Nearby devices (my devices only) my sharing desktop PC and it's shared drive and folder became immediately discoverable by my other PC's on my network.

    This looks to be Microsoft's replacement for 'Homegroup' 

    Well I couldn't even try this if I wanted to.  I took a look at my computers and even though they are all configured the same one doesn't even have this "Nearby sharing" option under "Shared Experiences", it only has the second option, "Share across devices".  What kind of garbage is that?

    I am so over Windows and its constant issues.  So sorry I got in bed with MS years ago when I purchased my first PC.  If I had bought a Mac I would have never looked back.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2018-10-10T15:24:12+00:00

    Larryh272,

    Thanks for the updated reply.  I have not upgraded to 1809 yet.  In 1803, I looked at Settings > System > Shared Experience> Nearby Sharing using WiFi.  I have this turned off.  My home LAN uses both WiFi and Ethernet.  This does not look like a solution for network discovery over Ethernet.  Does your LAN also include Ethernet?  Can you confirm to this forum?

    Thanks!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2018-10-10T15:10:01+00:00

    I also 'share files' on my home computer network consisting of 2 desktops and 1 laptop currently running Windows 10 Pro version 1809. I was aware that Home Group was going away when I upgraded all 3 to version 1803. Windows Explorer no longer 'discovered' my Windows 10 version 1803 desktop with all my ripped music files. It did 'discover' my brother laptop still running Windows 7, Samsung smart TV, etc.

    I started looking for a work around to my problem and found one on Windows Central that was similar to Steven's which I successfully applied. I also ran into the access denied issue that was described here on this thread. I use the same windows admin account and password on my three computers which never caused access problem before 1803 with Homegroup. I then signed on to my file sharing computer with my backup local windows admin account and was allowed access to the files with my windows account from my other PC's

    After upgrading to version 1809 I experienced the same issue with discovery of other Windows 10 PC's and shared files. I became aware of a 'new feature' in Windows 10 ( after a through review of all items in the 'Setting Menu's' ) which became available in 1803 but wasn't really hilite'd enough by Microsoft or the press.  Windows Settings/System/Shared Experience/Nearby Sharing using WiFi. Once turning on Nearby devices (my devices only) my sharing desktop PC and it's shared drive and folder became immediately discoverable by my other PC's on my network.

    This looks to be Microsoft's replacement for 'Homegroup'

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments