Network Folder in File Explorer Empty? Here’s How to Fix It in Windows 11!

Steps to Restart Network Services

1. Open “Services.msc” (Windows Services Manager)

• Press Win + R, type services.msc, and then press Enter.
• This will open the Services window, where you can manage all the services of the Windows system.

2. Find & Restart These 3 Critical Services:

a. Network Connections (NetMan)

 Function: Manage a list of network connections (Wi-Fi/Ethernet/VPN) in the system.

Impact if problematic:

• The Network folder is empty or unresponsive.
• Can’t change the network adapter settings.

How to restart:

1. Right-click Network Connections.
2. Select Restart (if it’s running) or Start (if it’s status “Stopped”).

b. Network List Service (NetProfm)

Function: Detects and lists available networks (Wi-Fi/LAN).

Impact if problematic:

• Windows doesn’t recognize active networks.
• “No networks found” appears in File Explorer.

c. Network Location Awareness (NlaSvc)

Function: Identifies the type of network (Private/Public/Domain) and sets its security policies.

Impact if problematic:

• Windows misrecognizes the network (for example, it thinks of the home network as “Public”).
• Network Discovery doesn’t work, so other devices don’t appear.

3. Set Startup Type to “Automatic”

To prevent the service from stopping again after a restart:

1. Right-click on each > Properties service.
2. In the General tab, change Startup type to Automatic.
3. Click Apply > OK.

Solution 2: Fix Empty Network Folders with Command Prompt (Admin)

If restarting the network service hasn’t solved the problem, the next step is to run a series of CMD commands that can repair the Windows network configuration from the ground up. These commands work by:

• Clearing the DNS cache
• Reset the Windows network stack
• Update TCP/IP configuration

3 Essential Commands & Their Functions

1. netsh winsock reset

• Resets Winsock Catalog (a component that governs how programs communicate with the network).
• Fix errors such as:
  • The network is connected, but can’t browse.
  • Certain applications can’t access the internet.

2. netcfg -d

• Deletes all network configurations and restores them to their default settings.
• Included:
  • Remove corrupt network drivers.
  • Reset all network adapters.

3. ipconfig /flushdns

• Clearing the Windows DNS cache.
• Fix the problem:
  • The device does not appear in Network Explorer.
  • Failed to access other computers via hostname.

How to Execute Commands Correctly

1. Open CMD as Admin. Press Win + X → Select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Run Commands One by One

netsh winsock reset

netcfg -d

ipconfig /flushdns

• Restart the computer. Changes only take effect after a restart.