And, if you have the right credentials, you can even share files and folders over a shared network. You can use Wi-Fi devices, such as wireless printers that are connected to the same network. As convenient as it may be, it can be equally dangerous if used on the wrong network. If you are on a public network, someone else can easily sneak into your device. Due to this reason, Network Discovery is turned off by default. To enable Network Discovery, you need to set certain settings. If you miss any of these steps, you will get the error message “Network discovery is turned off“.
How to Fix Network Discovery Is Turned Off in Windows
You need to enable several components to make your device discoverable on a network. So, you may need to perform all the steps mentioned below.
Turn on Network Discovery
When connecting to PCs and devices over a network, the first thing you should do is enable network discovery. This setting is disabled by default for security reasons. Here are the steps to enable Network Discovery.
Start Necessary Services
Just turning on network discovery may not always work. Multiple Microsoft services must also run for a computer to be discovered over the network. Follow these steps to start the necessary Services. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for the services mentioned below.
DNS ClientSSDP Discovery
Now check if you can see devices connected to the network.
Set Network Profile Type
If you still get the error message saying network discovery is turned off, you might need to set the network profile type to Private. This will make your device discoverable on the network. Below, we have mentioned the steps to set network profile types for Windows 10 and 11.
Enable Network Discovery Through Firewall
Another reason you cannot access devices on the network might be that the firewall has blocked Network Discovery itself. In that case, even if you perform all the steps mentioned above, you might still get the error message network discovery is turned off.
Run Network Troubleshooter
If none of the above settings enables network discovery, it’s very likely that there is something wrong with the network itself. If that’s the case, we can run the network troubleshooter to pinpoint and fix any issues.
Update Network Adapter Driver
An outdated network driver may have multiple compatibility issues that can malfunction the network device. So, if you face any network issues, it is always recommended to update the network adapter drivers.
Reset Network Settings
If none of the mentioned solutions work, you can try and reset all the network settings. Resetting the network removes all network adapters, including its setting. So, if there are any unfixable problems in your network adapter, resetting them will do the trick. Here are the steps for both Windows 10 and 11. For Windows 10, For Windows 11, Restart your computer once the reset process is complete.
How to Check if Network Discovery Is Turned on?
To check if network discovery is turned on on your PC, you can follow the steps mentioned below. If connected, you will be able to see all the devices and computers connected to the network. If not, you will get an error message saying Network discovery is turned off.
Why Won’t My Network Discovery Stay On?
According to Microsoft’s official documentation, the Windows defender firewall does not allow the Network Discovery feature to remain on. Try switching the firewall off for some time to ensure that this is not the case here. Along with this, multiple dependencies services such as DNS Client, SSDP Discovery, UPnP Device Host, and Function Discovery Resource Publication must also be running in order to keep network discovery stay on.
How Do I Turn on/off Network Discovery From Command?
To enable or disable network discovery using Command Prompt, follow these steps. netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=“Network Discovery” new enable=Yes netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=“Network Discovery” new enable=No
