AOMEI Backupper 
How to Restore Connection to Network Drive [Full Guide]
Struggling with a disconnected network drive? This guide covers common causes, step-by-step reconnection methods, and a backup solution to protect your PC.
By Lily Updated on February 10, 2025
Common causes of network drive disconnection
A network drive can become inaccessible for various reasons, often leading to frustration and workflow disruptions. Here are the most common causes of network drive disconnection:
- Network Configuration Changes: Network settings, such as IP address changes, firewall updates, or router resets, can disrupt your mapped drives. If the network path changes or permissions are modified, your system may no longer recognize the drive.
- System Updates Affecting Mapped Drives: Windows updates can sometimes reset network configurations, disable network discovery, or interfere with saved credentials. After an update, your computer may fail to reconnect to the network drive automatically.
- Credential Issues and Expired Passwords: If your login credentials for the network drive have changed or expired, your system may block access. This is especially common in workplace environments where password policies enforce periodic changes.
- Drive Mapping Not Set to Reconnect at Sign-In: By default, network drives should reconnect automatically after a restart, but if this option is disabled, they may not appear until manually remapped.
AOMEI BackupperIt is recommended to backup your computer before errors occur to avoid data loss.
How to restore connection to network drive on Windows 10/11
One of the simplest yet often most effective solutions to resolve network drive disconnections is restarting your computer and network devices. This can help clear temporary issues, refresh network configurations, and restore the connection to your network drive. If restart doesn’t work, please dive into the following solutions:
Solution 1: Run network diagnostics
Windows Network Troubleshooter can automatically diagnose and resolve network-related issues. Here's how to use it:
1. Right-click the Network icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner) and select Troubleshoot problems.
2. This will open the Network Troubleshooter, which will scan your network and identify any issues that could be affecting your connection to the network drive.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to allow Windows to diagnose and potentially fix any issues with your connection.
Solution 2: Update credentials
If the credentials used to access the network drive have changed or expired, the connection will be blocked. Here’s how to fix it:
1. Press Windows + S, type "Credential Manager" and select it.
2. Under Windows Credentials, find and select the entry for your network drive.
3. Click Edit and update the username and password. If the credentials are missing, add a new one by selecting Add a Windows credential and entering the correct network path, username, and password.
Solution 3: Remap the network drive
If the "Reconnect at sign-in" option is not selected, the network drive may fail to reconnect automatically after a restart. Restoring network connections for mapped drive with these steps:
1. Open File Explorer, click This PC, then select Computer from the menu bar and choose Map Network Drive.
2. Choose the drive letter and enter the correct network location (e.g., \\server\shared_folder).
3. Tick the box for Reconnect at sign-in to make it persistent across restarts.
4. Click Finish to proceed. Enter your credentials if prompted and confirm the connection.
Always backup your computer before errors occur
One of the best practices for ensuring that your system remains protected from unexpected issues, such as network drive disconnections or system crashes, is to regularly back up your computer. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a reliable and easy-to-use backup software solution that can help you safeguard your system and files.
AOMEI Backupper-
Full backup solutions: You can back up your entire system or choose to back up only specific files or folders. Email backup is available in advanced editions.
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Scheduled backups: You can set up automatic backups to run at specified intervals (daily, weekly, monthly), so your backup image is always up-to-date.
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Various destinations: You can save backups to a wide range of devices, such as external hard drives, USB flash drives, NAS and OneDrive.
100% SecureDon’t hesitate to download AOMEI Backupper and install it on your PC. Then follow the instructions below to backup your computer OS:
Step 1. Open AOMEI Backupper and select Backup > System Backup.
Step 2. System-related data is selected by default, and you only need to choose a destination path.
Step 3. Enable Schedule Backup if needed. Confirm your settings and click Start Backup to run the process.
Conclusion
Network drive disconnection can seem frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can quickly restore connection to network drive. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to regularly back up your data with AOMEI Backupper to avoid data loss during unexpected disruptions. What’s more, AOMEI Backupper offers the sync feature which enables you to sync a laptop and a desktop. Why not try it now?
