Fix: Password Protected Sharing not Turning Off on Windows

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Everything you need to turn off password protected sharing

4 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

After installing the latestWindows 10updates, many users reported being unable to turn off thepasswordfor protected sharing.

Password-protected sharing is aWindows 10feature that stops other users from accessing shared files, printers, orpublic folders. Some users reported that theOffbutton wouldn’t stick when using this feature.

Other users were able to move the button to theOffposition but reported that the settings didn’t change after restarting the computer. Here’s a series of solutions that should help you to fix this problem once and for all.

Why can’t I turn off password protected sharing?

Below are some of the reasons the turn off password protected sharing is not working on your PC:

How do I turn off password protected sharing?

First, you can try to turn off thePassword Protected Sharingfrom the Control Panel and see if it works properly.

2. Remove the Guest account password

If method 1 does not work, you could have to remove the Guest account password. To do so, follow the steps above.

Alternatively, you can try removing the password using the Registry Editor.

4. Modify registry entries using the Registry Editor

We recommend modifying the registry entries manually, and being very careful while making these changes. A simple mistake could have dramatic impacts on your system.

5. Check the Password never expires on property

An alternative solution would be to change the password’s expiry status.

If you are able to remove the sharing security password, be aware that public folders and printers are now accessible to other devices.

Ifyour folder can’t be shared on Windows 10, check our detailed guide to fix it for good.

Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.

Fix: Password Protected Sharing not Turning Off on Windows#

Why can’t I turn off password protected sharing?#

How do I turn off password protected sharing?#

1. Turn off Password Protected Sharing from the Control Panel#

2. Remove the Guest account password#

3. Remove Password Protected Sharing from User Accounts#

4. Modify registry entries using the Registry Editor#

5. Check the Password never expires on property#