Enter Network Credentials Keeps Appearing in Windows 11
The Enter network credentials prompt usually means the computer hosting the shared folder rejected the identity sent by the other PC. It is not necessarily asking for your Wi-Fi password or Microsoft account PIN.
Use the credential from the computer hosting the share
Suppose OFFICE-PC owns the folder and LAPTOP is trying to open it. The credential normally belongs to an account on OFFICE-PC.
Try the username in one of these explicit formats:
OFFICE-PC\username
MicrosoftAccount\name@example.com
Use the account password, not the Windows Hello PIN used to unlock the screen. A PIN is tied to one device and is not normally accepted for network authentication.
Check the basics before changing permissions
On both computers:
- Confirm the date, time, and time zone are correct.
- Set the current trusted network to Private, not Public.
- Confirm both devices can resolve each other's computer name.
- Verify that the host account is enabled and has a password.
- Check that the same username is not saved with an old password.
You can view the Windows computer name without changing anything:
$env:COMPUTERNAME
Remove only the stale saved credential
Open Credential Manager, choose Windows Credentials, and look for an entry matching the host computer or server. Remove only that entry, reconnect to the share, and enter the verified host credential again.
Avoid deleting every saved credential. Other applications and network services may rely on unrelated entries.
You can also list saved targets from Command Prompt:
cmdkey /list
This is a read-only inventory. It helps confirm whether Windows is silently reusing an old identity.
Verify both share and file permissions
Network access has two permission layers:
- Sharing permissions control access through the network share.
- Security permissions control access to the folder on the disk.
The effective result is the more restrictive combination. Adding broad access such as Everyone: Full Control can hide the real mismatch and expose more data than intended. Instead, add the specific user or group that should have access and grant only the required level.
If the prompt returns immediately
An immediate rejection usually points to a bad username format, stale credential, disabled account, or permission mismatch. A long delay before the prompt can instead indicate name resolution, firewall, VPN, or reachability problems.
Test the host by name and by IP address. If the IP works but the computer name does not, investigate DNS or local name resolution rather than repeatedly changing passwords.
Avoid weakening Windows security
Do not enable insecure guest access or SMB 1.0 just to suppress the prompt. Those changes can reduce protection and usually do not solve a normal credential mismatch. Modern Windows shares should use authenticated access over current SMB versions.
How Againly approaches this problem
Againly can inspect the local network identity, saved-target inventory, reachability, and sharing-related Windows state, then propose a focused plan. Password entry and access to another device may still require you to confirm the correct account. This article has diagnosis-level coverage, so Againly should prove that the intended share opens before calling the task complete.
Related guides: Windows cannot access a shared folder and Network drive keeps disconnecting.