Create a
homegroup
When you set up a PC
with Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, a homegroup
is created automatically. If a homegroup already exists on your home network,
you can join it.
1. Open
HomeGroup by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or
if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen,
moving the mouse pointer up, and then clicking Settings), tapping
or clicking Change PC settings, tapping or click Network,
and then tapping or clicking HomeGroup.
2. Tap
or click Create.
3. Select
the libraries and devices you want to share with the homegroup.
Note:
If a homegroup already exists on your network, you'll be
asked to join it instead of creating a new one.
If your PC belongs to a domain, you can join a homegroup
but you can't create one. You can get to libraries and devices on other
homegroup PCs, but you can't share your own libraries and devices with the
homegroup.
You can join a homegroup on a PC
running Windows RT 8.1, but you can't create a homegroup or
share content with the homegroup.
"Find devices and content" must be turned on
for HomeGroup to work.
Add your
other PCs to the homegroup
After someone on your network creates a homegroup, the next
step is to join it. You'll need the homegroup password, which you can get from
any homegroup member. All user accounts except the Guest account will belong to
the homegroup. Each person controls access to his or her own libraries.
To join a homegroup, follow these
steps on the PC that you want to add to the homegroup:
1. Open HomeGroup by swiping in from the right edge of the
screen, tapping Settings (or if you're using a mouse, pointing
to the lower-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer up, and then
clicking Settings), tapping or clicking Change PC settings,
tapping or click Network, and then tapping or clicking HomeGroup.
2. Enter the homegroup password, and then tap or click Join.
Note:
If you don't see a space to enter a password, there might
not be a homegroup available. Make sure that someone has created a homegroup,
or you can create a homegroup yourself.
3. Select the libraries and devices you
want to share with the homegroup.
4. Tap or click the control under Media
devices if you want to allow devices on the network, such as TVs and
game consoles, to play your shared content.
Find
homegroup files
PCs that belong to your homegroup will appear in File
Explorer.
To get to
shared libraries on other homegroup PCs
1. Open
This PC by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or
if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen,
moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search),
entering This PC in the search box, and then tapping or
clicking This PC.
2. Under Homegroup,
tap or click the user account name of the person whose libraries you want to
get to.
3. In
the file list, double-tap or double-click the library you want to get to, and
then double-tap or double-click the file or folder you want.
Note :
PCs that are turned off, hibernating, or asleep won't
appear as part of the homegroup.
If you've made homegroup files or folders available
offline, and then you disconnect from the network, the files or folders will no
longer be visible in the Libraries window. To find them, open the
Network folder.
Share
libraries and devices, or stop sharing them
When you create or join a homegroup, you select the
libraries and devices you want to share with other people in the homegroup.
Libraries are initially shared with Read access, which means
that other people can look at or listen to what's in the library, but they
can't change the files in it. You can adjust the level of access at any time,
and you can exclude specific files and folders from sharing.
Only those people who belong to the homegroup can see shared
libraries and devices. You can choose to share libraries, devices, or
individual files and folders with specific people in your homegroup or with
everyone.
Note:
Keep in mind that children who use homegroup PCs will
have access to all shared libraries and devices.
To share
devices and entire libraries
1. Open HomeGroup by swiping in from the right
edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or if you're using a
mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse
pointer up, and then clicking Settings), tapping or clicking Change
PC settings, tapping or click Network, and then tapping or
clicking HomeGroup.
2. Select the
libraries and devices you want to share with the homegroup.
To share individual files or folders
1. Open This PC by swiping
in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if
you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving
the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering This
PC in the search box, and then tapping or clicking This PC.
2. Select the item,
and then tap or click the Share tab.
3. Choose an option
in the Share with group. There are different Share
with options depending on whether your PC is connected to a network
and what kind of network it is.
·
To share items with a particular person, choose
that person's account.
·
To share with all the members of your homegroup,
choose one of the Homegroupoptions. To select libraries to share
with all the members of your homegroup, swipe in from the right edge of the
screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move
the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change
PC settings.) Then tap or clickHomeGroup.
·
To prevent a file or folder from being shared
with anyone, tap or click the Share tab, and then tap or
click Stop sharing.
·
To change the level of access to a file or
folder, tap or click the Share tab, and then select
either Homegroup (view) or Homegroup (view and edit).
·
If you need to share a location such as a drive
or system folder, use the Advanced sharing option.
Share a
printer
Printers that are connected with a USB cable can be shared
with a homegroup. After the printer is shared, you can get to it through the
Print dialog box in any program, just like a printer that's directly connected
to your PC.
To share
your printer with the homegroup
1. Open HomeGroup by
swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or
if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen,
moving the mouse pointer up, and then clicking Settings), tapping
or clicking Change PC settings, tapping or click Network,
and then tapping or clicking HomeGroup.
2. Tap or click the
control to share Printers and devices.
To print
to a homegroup printer
·
Open the Print menu of the app you want to print
from, select the homegroup printer, and then tap or click Print.
Note:
The PC that the printer is connected to must
be turned on to use the printer.
Change
homegroup settings if needed
At any time after you set up your homegroup, you can change
settings by following these steps:
1. Open
HomeGroup by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or
if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen,
moving the mouse pointer up, and then clicking Settings), tapping
or clicking Change PC settings, tapping or click Network,
and then tapping or clicking HomeGroup.
2. Select
the settings you want.
These are the settings you can change:
|
Setting
|
Description
|
|
Share libraries and devices
|
Select the libraries, printers, and devices you want to
share with your homegroup.
|
|
Share media
|
Use this setting to share media with all devices on your
network. For example, you can share pictures with a digital picture frame, or
share music with a network media player.
Note Shared media isn't secure. Anyone
connected to your network can receive your shared media.
|
|
View the homegroup password
|
View the password for your homegroup. If someone else
wants to join the homegroup, give them this password.
|
|
Leave the homegroup
|
Leave your homegroup. You can't delete a homegroup, but if
everyone leaves the homegroup it will be gone. You can then set up a new
homegroup if you'd like.
|
To change
the homegroup password
To change your homegroup password, follow these steps:
1. Swipe
in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move
the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.)
2. In
the search box, enter homegroup, and then click Settings.
3. In
the list of results, tap or click Change homegroup password.
4. Tap
or click Change the password, and then follow the
instructions. You
might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
