Network issues are common in Windows 10 and the problem now seems to be affecting Windows 11 users as well. One of the frequent issues with Network Discovery is where users are unable to access other network-enabled devices on the same Wi-Fi network. Users complain that Windows 10/ 11 throws a “Network Discovery is turned off” error, and turning it on does not resolve the issue. So today, we have compiled a step-by-step guide to fix the “Network Discovery is turned off” issue in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Let’s dive in and find a possible solution.
Fix ‘Network Discovery is Turned Off’ Error in Windows 10 and 11 (Updated October 2021)
We have explained four methods to fix this issue, and all these solutions apply to both Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers. You can expand the table below and move to a relevant method with ease.
Method 1: Change Advanced Sharing Settings
1. First, open the Control Panel on your Windows PC. Simply press the Windows key, search for “Control Panel“, and open it. This step applies to both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
![Fix “Network Discovery is Turned Off” in Windows 10 and 11 (2021)](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.10.39.jpg)
2. Next, open “Network and Internet” and move to “Network and Sharing Center”.
![Fix “Network Discovery is Turned Off” in Windows 10 and 11 (2021)](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.10.51.jpg)
3. To get started with fixing the “Network discovery is turned off” error on Windows 10 and 11, click on “Change advanced sharing settings” on the left pane.
![Fix “Network Discovery is Turned Off” in Windows 10 and 11 (2021)](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.11.05.jpg)
4. Here, under the “Private” section, make sure that “Turn on network discovery” is enabled. Also, enable the checkbox for “Turn on automatic setup of network-connected devices“.
![Fix “Network Discovery is Turned Off” in Windows 10 and 11 (2021)](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.11.23.jpg)
5. Next, under the “File and printer sharing” section, enable “Turn on file and printer sharing“.
![Fix “Network Discovery is Turned Off” in Windows 10 and 11 (2021)](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.11.29.jpg)
6. Similarly, expand the “Guest or Public” section and enable “Turn on network discovery” and “Turn on file and printer sharing“. Generally, I don’t recommend turning on network discovery on a public network. But if you are working on public Wi-Fi, keep it turned on for the time being, and remember to turn it off after your work is done. Finally, click on “Save changes”.
![Fix “Network Discovery is Turned Off” in Windows 10 and 11 (2021)](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.11.38.jpg)
7. Now, restart your computer and check whether the “Network Discovery is turned off” error is fixed or not.
Method 2: Manage Windows Services
If the above method didn’t fix the network discovery issue on your Windows 10 or 11 computer, follow these steps for a more viable fix.
1. Press the Windows keyboard shortcut “Win + R” to open the Run window. Type services.msc
and hit Enter.
![services.msc](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.14.17.jpg)
2. Here, scroll down and look for “Function Discovery Resource Publication“. Double-click on it and change the “Startup type” to “Automatic”. After that, click on “Start” under “Service status” and click “OK”.
![function discovery](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.15.16.jpg)
3. Next, look for the “DNS Client” service and make sure it’s set to “Automatic” as well. Also, ensure that the service is running.
![dns client](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.15.52.jpg)
4. Finally, look for “SSDP Discovery” and open it. Change it to “Automatic” from the drop-down menu and start the service.
![ssdp discovery](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.16.08.jpg)
5. Now, restart your PC to fix the issue and check if the “Network Discovery is turned off” problem is resolved on your Windows 10/11 computer.
Method 3: Adjust Firewall Settings
1. Press the Windows key and search for “Windows Firewall” on your Windows 10 or 11 computer. Now, open the “Windows Defender Firewall” settings in the Control Panel.
![Adjust Firewall Settings](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.12.17.jpg)
2. On the left pane, click on “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall“.
![Adjust Firewall Settings](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.12.27.jpg)
3. Then, click on “Change Settings” on the top-right corner and look for “Network Discovery”. Make sure the feature is turned on, and both “Private” and “Public” checkboxes are enabled.
![Adjust Firewall Settings](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.13.00.jpg)
4. Finally, click on “OK”, and it should fix the “Network Discovery is turned off” issue on your Windows 10/ 11 PC.
![Adjust Firewall Settings](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.13.10.jpg)
Method 4: Reset Network
If none of the above methods fixed the issue, you might have to reset the network on your Windows 10/ 11 computer. To do that, follow the steps below:
1. Press the Windows key, search for “Network reset“, and open it on your Windows 10 PC. On Windows 11, open Settings and move to Network and Internet -> Advanced Network Settings -> Network reset.
![Reset Network](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.13.45.jpg)
2. Then, click on “Reset now“, and that’s it. Restart your computer, and the network discovery is turned off issue should be gone.
![Reset Network](https://beebom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Screenshot-2021-08-26-14.13.50.jpg)
You can also follow our guide on how to fix network connection issues on Windows 10/ 11 for the detailed step-by-step process.
Network Discovery Not Turning On in Windows 10/ 11? Learn How to Fix the Issue Right Away
So these are the best four ways to fix the “Network Discovery is turned off” issue on Windows 10 and 11. For most users, the first method should open your computer to network discovery, but if that does not work, check out the other methods as well. Anyway, that is all from us. In case you are having issues with your microphone, you can head over to our guide on how to resolve microphone issues on Windows 10/ 11. And if you want to speed up your Windows 10 PC, go through our linked guide for some effective solutions. Finally, if you have any questions, let us know in the comment section below.
None of these methods work as a lot of these settings disappeared after the last Win10 update. News flash: This same Windows bug is present in Windows 11 ! (it’s been a serious issue since Windows 7 – not surprisingly, Microsoft’s developers don’t seem to care, don’t know what they’re doing, or this is not a priority anymore). I got over 200,000 hits on Google on this problem and the best answer is to reinstall Windows (like the old joke goes, “well it’s been 6 months, time to reinstall Windows”).
If nothing helped. Reset your firewall settings! Only this helped me. (Restore Defaults)
Если кому ничего не помогло. Сбросьте настройки Фаервола! Мне помогло только это. (Restore Defaults)
I have an Asus ZenBook running Windows 11 Pro. My home network is set to Private. In addition to my ZenBook, I have an Acer Spin 5 laptop running Windows 10 on my network wirelessly which has a Transcend hard drive connected to its USB port. I also have another Transcend hard drive hardwired to my TP-Link router.
From my ZenBook the only thing I could see on the network was the ZenBook itself. Network Discovery was clearly checked as on, but I still got an error message following the reset telling me that it wasn’t. When I look at Advanced Network Settings after the error, Network Discovery is still turned on. (Something is wrong there.)
Then I did all four steps on the Spin 5. No changes were necessary because everything was as it should be, but I did stop and start the services anyway even though they said they were running. When I did that, the Spin 5 and its USB hard drive became visible on my ZenBook, but the ZenBook itself disappeared. That doesn’t matter because I already have access to it without the network, but it is a curiosity.
I have had everything working as planned 5 or 6 times, but it never lasts.
The only real changes made from your steps was making the services automatic on the ZenBook. Fingers crossed that it makes a difference but I’m not confidant that it will since stopping and starting services on the Spin 5 is what made everything visible.
My takeaway is that the settings lie about their true state. Something changes them and it’s not me!
Method one really worked thanks… Just when I was about to format my laptop completely and lose all my file I came across this article you really saved me considering it also fixed the endless loading task bar I can’t thank you very much but you save my aurs bruh..
Nothing work.
As usual – microsoft – is nest of fuuuucking morons. Windows – its totally shit.