How to Include a Network Drive or Folder in a Library in Windows 7 and Windows 8
Information
By default, Windows 7 and Windows 8 does not allow you to include network drives or folders in a library. This is because folders must be indexed first in order to be added to a library, and network drives cannot be indexed unless they are synchronized.
This tutorial will show you how to include network drives or folders in a library in Windows 7 and Windows 8.
This tutorial will show you how to include network drives or folders in a library in Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Tip
The full path to the hidden Libraries folder is below.
C:\Users\(User-Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
OR
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
C:\Users\(User-Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
OR
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries
OPTION ONE
Synchronize the Network Folder or Drive
:warn:WARNING: The disadvantage of this method is that it actually copies (syncs) all network files locally so that they are available offline. It actually makes networking useless since you have to bring everything on your PC. For those not interested for this approach, please use method 2. 1. Right click on the network folder or network drive you wish to include to a library (or create a new one for it) and select "Always Available Offline". A synching process will start, synchronizing your network folder.
2. Now you can add it to a library in Windows 7 or Windows 8.
OPTION TWO
Using mklink Command
NOTE: This open is good if you don't want to make the folder available offline using OPTION ONE above because you don't want to keep the folder contents on your PC. Using this option will make searching, sorting, and filtering in the whole library slow. For best results, it's recommended to create a new library for the network folder alone. 1. Create a new folder (ex: c:\shares) on your hard drive.
2. Create a new subfolder (ex: c:\shares\pictures) in the above folder.
3. Include this folder (ex: c:\shares\pictures) to a library.
4. Delete the folder (ex: c:\shares\pictures), but do not remove it from the library.
5. Use mklink in an elevated command prompt to make a symbolic link. Name the link the same as the folder you created above. i.e - mklink /d "LINK" "TARGET"
mklink /d "c:\shares\pictures" \\Server\Network Folder
6. Done. Now you have a non-indexed network path as a library.
Limneos
Related Tutorials
- How to Hide or Show a Library in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
- How to Restore the Default Libraries in Windows 7
- How to Fix Libraries when Hidden and Empty in Windows 7
- How to Create a New Library in Windows 7
- How to Create a New Library in Windows 8
- How to Include a Folder in a Library in Windows 7
- How to Add a Folder to a Library in Windows 8
- How to Remove a Folder from a Library in Windows 8
- How to Include a Network Drive or Folder in a Library in Windows 7
- How to Remove a Included Folder from a Library in Windows 7
- How to Set the Default Save Folder for a Library in Windows 7
- User Folders in Windows 7 Libraries
- How to Turn the Library Pane On or Off in Windows 7
- How to Add or Remove "Include in library" in Windows 7 Context Menu
- How to Arrange Folders Included in a Library in Any Order in Windows 7 and Windows 8
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