How to Share a Folder on Your Local Network in Ubuntu Desktop

Sharing files between computers in a home or office network should be straightforward. When running Ubuntu Desktop, you do not need to configure complex command-line configuration files or manually edit Samba servers just to allow other PCs—such as Windows machines, Macs, or other Linux laptops—to access a media or document folder.

The standard Files application (Nautilus) in Ubuntu Desktop includes a native Local Network Share feature. With just a right-click, Ubuntu automatically handles the underlying Samba service installation and lets you configure guest access and write permissions in moments.

Enabling Local Network Share on Any Ubuntu Folder

You can share any directory located within your Home folder (such as Documents, Music, Videos, or a custom project folder):

1. Open the Files application from the Ubuntu dock or application grid.
2. Locate the folder you wish to share across your local network.
3. Right-click the folder and select Local Network Share from the context menu.
4. In the Folder Sharing dialogue box, tick the box labelled Share this folder.
5. Enter a Share name that other computers will see on the network (keep it simple, avoiding special symbols).
6. Configure your access permissions:
   • Allow others to create and delete files in this folder: Tick this if you want network guests to edit documents, upload new files, or delete existing content.
   • Guest access (for people without a user account): Tick this if you want anyone connected to your local Wi-Fi or router to browse files without prompting them for your Ubuntu username and password.
7. Click Create Share.

Installing the Sharing Service (First-Time Setup)

If you have never shared a folder over the network before, Ubuntu will display a prompt stating: “Sharing service is not installed. You need to install the Windows networks sharing service in order to share your folders.”

1. Click the green Install service button in the dialogue.
2. When prompted to install additional software (such as samba and nautilus-share), click Install.
3. Type your Ubuntu administrator password to authorise the installation.
4. Ubuntu will download and configure the packages automatically. When prompted, click Restart session or allow Nautilus to refresh.
5. Once complete, return to your folder, right-click, choose Local Network Share, and confirm your share settings.

When Ubuntu successfully shares a folder, a small double-arrow icon appears superimposed over the folder graphic in Files, clearly indicating that network sharing is active.

Accessing the Shared Ubuntu Folder from Windows, Mac, or Linux

Once shared, other devices on the identical local network can easily browse your folder:

• From Windows 11 / 10: Open File Explorer, click Network in the left sidebar, and look for your Ubuntu computer name. Alternatively, press Win + R, type \\<Ubuntu-IP-Address>\ (such as \\192.168.1.50\), and press Enter.
• From macOS: Open Finder, press Cmd + K, type smb://<Ubuntu-IP-Address>, and click Connect. Select “Guest” or enter your Ubuntu credentials.
• From another Ubuntu PC: Open Files, click Other Locations at the bottom of the sidebar, and browse the Networks section.

Stopping Network Sharing for a Folder

If you no longer wish to broadcast a folder to your local network:

1. Open Files, right-click the shared folder, and choose Local Network Share.
2. Untick the Share this folder checkbox.
3. Click Modify Share.

The share indicator disappears immediately, cutting off external network access while keeping all your local files safely preserved on your Ubuntu system.