Restore a Missing Sharing Tab in Windows Folder Properties

The Sharing tab normally appears when you open the properties of a local folder. If it is missing, make sure you selected a real folder, check the Windows Server service, and only then repair the Registry handler described below.

Check the folder and the Server service first

• Right-click a normal folder on a local NTFS drive and select Properties. The tab may not appear for a shortcut, a virtual library, some system locations, or an individual file.
• Press Windows + R, enter services.msc, and press Enter.
• Open Server. If it is disabled, set its startup type to Automatic and start it. This service supports file and printer sharing.
• Restart File Explorer or Windows, then check the folder again.

If the tab is present but other computers cannot reach the share, this is a network configuration issue rather than a missing-tab issue. Follow the Windows folder-sharing setup to enable Network Discovery and File and Printer Sharing on the appropriate private network.

Restore the Sharing property-sheet handler

This method edits a Windows shell registration. Sign in with an administrator account and export the affected key or create a restore point before continuing. The Windows Registry guide explains the backup options.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Approve the User Account Control prompt.

2. Navigate to:
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryshellexPropertySheetHandlers
3. Look for a subkey named Sharing.

If the Sharing subkey is absent, right-click PropertySheetHandlers, select New > Key, and name the new key Sharing.

4. Select the Sharing key and double-click (Default) in the right pane.
5. Set Value data to {f81e9010-6ea4-11ce-a7ff-00aa003ca9f6}. Do not include a comma or extra space.
6. Select OK, close Registry Editor, and restart File Explorer or the computer.

If the tab is still missing

Run these commands in an administrator Terminal, one at a time, and restart after they finish:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

On a work-managed PC, sharing can also be restricted by policy. Contact the administrator instead of overriding organization settings. Windows 10 reached the end of general support on October 14, 2025, so use a supported Windows release when possible.