How To Change A Network Profile To Private?

In total, there are three network profiles, including Private, Public, and Domain. The Private and Public are available for all computers, and the Domain is only available when a device is joined to the domain.

The Public profile makes the device invisible in the local network. This option is recommended for most locations, including public places, workplaces, and homes. But if you’d like to make your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC discoverable on your network and to use file and printer sharing, you’ll have to switch your Wi-Fi network’s profile from Public to Private. This profile makes the computer discoverable, allowing you to share files, printers, and other resources with people you trust.

Next, we will show you the methods to change the network profile from public to private in Windows 11.

Change the Network Profile to Private in Windows 11

Method 1: Change the Network Profile in Properties

1. First, locate and click the Wi-Fi icon at the bottom of your screen.
2. From the menu that opens, beneath your Wi-Fi network, click Properties.
3. In the Network Profile section, enable the Private option.
4. Windows will automatically save your changes, and you’re now using the Private profile for your chosen network.

Method 2: Change Network Profile Type from Settings

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Navigate to Network & internet > WiFi.
3. In the right pane, click on Manage known networks.
4. On the next page, click on the known Wi-Fi network you want to modify.
5. Finally, select Private for the network profile type.

Method 3: Change Network to Private using Registry

Alternatively, it’s also possible to set the default network profile type through the Registry. To change the network profile type on Windows 11 using the Registry, use these steps:

1. Search for regedit and click the top result to open Registry Editor.
2. Browse to the following path:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles
3. Expand the Profiles folder to see its subkeys, each of which represents a saved network profile.
4. Select the subkeys and confirm the ProfileName to identify the network connection.
5. Double-click the Category DWORD.
6. Change the Value data to 1 for Private profiles, then click the OK button.
7. Restart the computer, the computer will start using the selected network profile.

Conclusion

As you have seen in this article, it’s not that difficult to change the network profile in Windows 11. If you had trouble changing the network profile, share what happened in a comment below.