How do I turn off network discovery in Windows 10?

How do I turn off network discovery in Windows 10?
I’m trying to figure out how to turn off network discovery in Windows 10. I currently have several devices connected to my network, and for security reasons, I want to make sure that other devices can’t see my PC. I’ve gone through various settings but haven’t been able to find a clear way to disable this feature. Is there a step-by-step process that I can follow? I’m particularly interested in understanding which menus I need to navigate through and if there are any specific settings that I should be aware of. It would also help to know if there are any additional precautions I should take to ensure my network remains secure once network discovery is turned off.
4 Answers

To switch off network discovery on a Windows 10 device, a simpler method involves using the Settings app:
- Access the Settings app: Press ‘Win + I’ on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
- Open Network & Internet: Click on ‘Network & Internet.’
- Navigate to Status: From the left-hand menu, click on ‘Status.’
- Network and Sharing Center: Scroll down and click on ‘Network and Sharing Center.’
- Change advanced sharing settings: In the Network and Sharing Center window, click on ‘Change advanced sharing settings.’
- Disable Network Discovery: Turn off the switch under the network profile you are using to disable network discovery.
- Save the changes: Remember to click ‘Save changes’ to apply.

Disabling network discovery in Windows 10 can be achieved relatively easily by using PowerShell. Here’s how:
- Open PowerShell as an Administrator: Click the Start menu, type ‘PowerShell,’ right-click Windows PowerShell, and select ‘Run as Administrator.’
- Execute the command: Input the following command and press Enter:
Set-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Network Discovery" -Enabled False
. - Verify changes: To ensure that network discovery has been disabled, you can run the command
Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Network Discovery"
. It should display rules with the Enabled status set to False.

Disabling network discovery in Windows 10 can help protect your computer from other devices on the same network. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Start Menu: Click the Windows icon on your taskbar.
- Go to Control Panel: Type ‘Control Panel’ and select the app from the search results.
- Navigate to Network and Sharing Center: Select ‘Network and Internet,’ then ‘Network and Sharing Center.’
- Change Advanced Sharing Settings: In the left sidebar, click ‘Change advanced sharing settings.’
- Private Profile: Expand the options under your current profile, likely ‘Private’ or ‘Guest or Public.’
- Turn off Network Discovery: Select ‘Turn off network discovery.’
- File and Printer Sharing: For extra security, turn off ‘File and printer sharing’ as well.
- Save Settings: Click ‘Save changes.’ This will turn off network discovery and potentially reduce your exposure to network-based threats.

To turn off network discovery in Windows 10, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Start Menu and type ‘Control Panel’: Click on the Control Panel desktop app to open it.
- Navigate to Network and Sharing Center: Once in the Control Panel, click on ‘Network and Internet,’ then ‘Network and Sharing Center.’
- Change advanced sharing settings: In the Network and Sharing Center window, click on ‘Change advanced sharing settings’ on the left-hand side.
- Turn off Network Discovery: You will see three network profiles (Private, Guest or Public, and All Networks). Expand the profile you are currently using, then select the radio button next to ‘Turn off network discovery.’
- Save changes: Click ‘Save changes’ at the bottom of the window.