How to Check Network Profile in Windows 11

Learn how to check and change the Public or Private network profile in Windows 11 using Settings and PowerShell.

Windows 11 assigns a network profile to each network connection. The profile determines how your PC behaves on the network and whether other devices can discover your computer for features such as file and printer sharing.

The two network profiles most Windows 11 users will encounter are Public and Private. Windows generally uses the Public profile as the recommended default because it provides a more restrictive network discovery configuration.

A Private profile is intended for networks you trust, such as your home network. It allows your PC to be discoverable by other devices on the same network and can be useful when sharing files, folders, or printers.

If you are troubleshooting network sharing, checking whether your connection is configured as Public or Private is an important step. In this guide, you will learn how to check your network profile in Windows 11, change it through Settings, verify it with PowerShell, and understand which profile you should use.

What Is a Network Profile in Windows 11?

A network profile tells Windows how much you trust the network you are connected to and influences network discovery and sharing behavior.

Windows 11 primarily uses these network categories:

• Public network — intended for networks where you do not necessarily trust other connected devices.
• Private network — intended for trusted networks where you want your PC to communicate with other devices more easily.

The network profile is separate from your internet speed. Changing a network from Public to Private does not make the internet connection faster, increase Ethernet link speed, or improve Wi-Fi signal strength.

Instead, the setting affects how Windows treats the network from a security and discoverability perspective.

Public vs Private Network in Windows 11

Feature	Public Network	Private Network
Network trust	Untrusted or unknown networks	Trusted networks
PC discoverability	More restricted	PC can be discoverable
File sharing	Generally restricted	Suitable for trusted sharing
Printer sharing	Generally restricted	Suitable for trusted networks
Recommended for unknown networks	Yes	No
Typical home network	Can be used	Useful when sharing devices

Microsoft recommends using the Public profile in most cases when you do not need your PC to be discoverable by other devices. A Private profile should be used when you know and trust the devices and people on the network.

How to Check Network Profile in Windows 11

The easiest way to check the network profile is through the Windows 11 Settings app.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select Network & internet.
3. Select Wi-Fi if you are connected wirelessly.
4. Select the connected Wi-Fi network.
5. For Ethernet, select Ethernet.
6. Look for Network profile type.

Windows should show whether the current connection is configured as Public network or Private network.

The exact appearance of the Settings interface can vary slightly between Windows 11 versions, but the network profile option is located within the properties of the connected network.

How to Check Ethernet Network Profile

If your Windows 11 PC is connected using an Ethernet cable, you can check the profile specifically for that wired connection.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Network & internet.
3. Select Ethernet.
4. Find the connected Ethernet network.
5. Look for Network profile type.

This is particularly useful if you are troubleshooting file sharing or network discovery over a wired connection.

If you are currently troubleshooting an Ethernet connection itself, you can also read:

How to Check Ethernet Cable Connection and Network Status in Windows 11

How to Check Wi-Fi Network Profile

The same process can be used for Wi-Fi.

1. Press Windows + I.
2. Open Network & internet.
3. Select Wi-Fi.
4. Select the Wi-Fi network you are currently connected to.
5. Find Network profile type.

You can then see whether Windows has classified the connection as Public or Private.

Remember that the profile applies to the particular network connection. Your Wi-Fi connection at home and a Wi-Fi connection at a hotel or coffee shop can have different network profiles.

How to Change Public Network to Private in Windows 11

If you trust the network and need your PC to communicate with other devices on that network, you can change the profile to Private.

For a connected Wi-Fi network:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Network & internet.
3. Select Wi-Fi.
4. Select the Wi-Fi network you are currently connected to.
5. Find Network profile type.
6. Select Private network.

For Ethernet:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Network & internet.
3. Select Ethernet.
4. Open the connected Ethernet network properties.
5. Find Network profile type.
6. Select Private network.

Only select Private when you trust the network. A home network where you know the connected devices is a typical example.

How to Change Private Network to Public in Windows 11

If you connect to an unfamiliar network, changing the profile to Public can provide a more restrictive configuration.

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Network & internet.
3. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
4. Open the properties of the connected network.
5. Find Network profile type.
6. Select Public network.

Public is generally the safer choice for networks where you do not know or trust the other devices.

Why Is My Network Set to Public?

Windows 11 sets a newly connected network to Public by default. This is intentional because Windows cannot assume that every network is trusted.

For example, if you connect your laptop to a public Wi-Fi network, allowing your PC to become easily discoverable to every device on that network could expose unnecessary network-sharing functionality.

Keeping the connection Public can therefore be appropriate when you are using:

• Hotel Wi-Fi
• Airport Wi-Fi
• Coffee shop Wi-Fi
• Public hotspots
• Guest networks
• Other unfamiliar networks

If your PC is connected to your own trusted home network and you need network discovery or file sharing, Private may be more appropriate.

Why Change a Network to Private?

The most common reason to use a Private network profile is to allow your PC to participate more easily in trusted local-network activities.

For example, you may want to:

• Share files between Windows PCs
• Use a shared network folder
• Share or access a network printer
• Use network discovery
• Allow trusted devices to discover your PC

If another computer cannot see your Windows 11 PC on your home network, checking the network profile is one of the things worth investigating.

Check Network Profile with PowerShell

PowerShell provides a useful method for checking the network profile without opening Settings.

Open Windows PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run:

Get-NetConnectionProfile

The command displays the connection profile associated with network adapters.

Depending on your configuration, you may see information such as:

• Name
• InterfaceAlias
• InterfaceIndex
• NetworkCategory
• IPv4Connectivity
• IPv6Connectivity

The important value for this guide is NetworkCategory.

It can indicate categories such as:

Public
Private
DomainAuthenticated

Public means Windows is treating the connection as a public network. Private means Windows is treating it as a private network. DomainAuthenticated applies to certain domain-connected business environments.

Check a Specific Ethernet Profile with PowerShell

If your computer has multiple network adapters, you can filter the connection profile by interface alias.

For example:

Get-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet"

The exact adapter name may be different on your computer. You can first run:

Get-NetAdapter

Then identify the Ethernet adapter name and use that name with Get-NetConnectionProfile.

This is useful on computers that have multiple Ethernet adapters, Wi-Fi adapters, VPN connections, or virtual network adapters.

How to Change Network Profile with PowerShell

You can also change the network category from PowerShell using the Set-NetConnectionProfile cmdlet.

For example, to change an Ethernet connection to Private:

Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet" -NetworkCategory Private

To change it to Public:

Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet" -NetworkCategory Public

Replace Ethernet with the actual interface name if your adapter uses another name.

You can also target a connection using its interface index:

Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex 12 -NetworkCategory Private

Replace 12 with the actual interface index shown by Get-NetConnectionProfile.

Be careful when changing network categories from PowerShell. Selecting the wrong adapter can change the profile of a different network connection.

How to Verify the Change

After changing the network profile, run:

Get-NetConnectionProfile

Look at the NetworkCategory value for the relevant connection.

If you changed the connection to Private, you should see:

NetworkCategory : Private

If you changed it to Public, you should see:

NetworkCategory : Public

This provides a quick way to confirm that Windows accepted the new network category.

Does Network Profile Affect Internet Speed?

No. Changing between Public and Private does not directly increase your internet speed.

Network profile settings are primarily related to how Windows treats the local network and whether the PC can be discovered by other devices.

If your Ethernet connection is slower than expected, investigate the negotiated link speed, Ethernet cable, network adapter, router port, and Speed and Duplex settings instead.

For example, you can check your Ethernet link speed using:

How to Check Ethernet Link Speed in Windows 11

You can also check Speed and Duplex:

How to Check Speed and Duplex Settings in Windows 11

Network Profile and File Sharing

Network profile settings can become important when Windows 11 file or printer sharing does not work as expected.

For example, if two trusted Windows computers are connected to the same home router but cannot discover each other, check whether the network profile is configured appropriately.

On a trusted home network, using a Private profile can make the PC discoverable to other devices on that network.

You should still configure Windows sharing settings carefully and only share folders or devices that you actually want other trusted devices to access.

Network Profile and Network Discovery

Network discovery allows compatible devices on a local network to discover each other.

If network discovery or file sharing is not working, check these items:

1. Confirm both computers are connected to the same local network.
2. Check the network profile on both computers.
3. Use a Private profile on trusted home or office networks when appropriate.
4. Check Windows network discovery settings.
5. Check file and printer sharing settings.
6. Verify that the required Windows networking services are functioning.

Changing the network profile alone does not guarantee that file sharing will work. Firewall rules, sharing permissions, network configuration, and the target device also affect the result.

What If the Network Profile Option Is Missing?

If the Network profile type option does not appear where expected, first confirm that Windows recognizes the network connection correctly.

For Ethernet, check whether the adapter appears connected under Settings > Network & internet > Ethernet.

You can also open PowerShell and run:

Get-NetConnectionProfile

If a connection profile appears there, you can use its interface information to identify the correct adapter.

You should also check:

• Network adapter status
• Ethernet cable connection
• Wi-Fi connection status
• Network adapter driver
• IP configuration

If the adapter itself is not working correctly, changing the network profile will not solve the underlying problem.

Network Profile vs Network Adapter

These two concepts are related but not the same.

A network adapter is the hardware or virtual interface Windows uses to connect to a network. Examples include Ethernet adapters and Wi-Fi adapters.

A network profile describes how Windows categorizes a particular network connection.

For example, a computer can have an Ethernet adapter called Ethernet and that connection can have a network category of Private.

You can learn more about identifying network adapters here:

How to Check Network Adapter in Windows 11

When Should You Use Public Network?

Use the Public profile when you do not trust the other devices on the network or when you simply do not need your PC to be discoverable.

Typical examples include:

• Public Wi-Fi
• Hotel networks
• Airport networks
• Cafes
• Conference networks
• Guest networks
• Other unfamiliar networks

The Public profile is also a reasonable choice when you do not need local network sharing.

When Should You Use Private Network?

Use the Private profile when you trust the network and want your PC to be discoverable by other devices on that local network.

A typical example is your home network where you control the router and know which devices are connected.

Another example is a trusted office network where the network administrator expects computers to communicate with each other.

Do not change an unfamiliar public network to Private simply because a particular application asks for network discovery.

Quick Network Profile Troubleshooting Checklist

If you are having problems with network discovery or local file sharing, work through this checklist:

1. Check whether the PC is connected through Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
2. Open Settings > Network & internet.
3. Open the properties of the connected network.
4. Check Network profile type.
5. Use Private only when the network is trusted and local sharing is required.
6. Use Public on unfamiliar or untrusted networks.
7. Run Get-NetConnectionProfile if you want to verify the category with PowerShell.
8. Check network discovery and sharing settings if needed.
9. Check the network adapter if Windows does not recognize the connection correctly.
10. Use network reset only as a later troubleshooting step.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if my Windows 11 network is Public or Private?

Open Settings > Network & internet, select your connected Wi-Fi or Ethernet network, and look for Network profile type. It will show Public or Private.

Should my home network be Public or Private?

If you trust the devices and people on your home network and need network discovery or file sharing, Private can be appropriate. If you do not need those features, Public provides a more restrictive configuration.

Is Private network safer than Public network?

Neither label should be treated as an absolute security guarantee. Public is designed to restrict discoverability on networks you do not trust, while Private allows greater local-network interaction. Only use Private on networks you actually trust.

Does changing Public to Private improve internet speed?

No. The network profile does not increase your internet bandwidth or Ethernet link speed. For speed problems, check the network adapter, cable, link speed, router, and Speed and Duplex settings.

How do I check network profile using PowerShell?

Open PowerShell and run Get-NetConnectionProfile. Look for the NetworkCategory value associated with the connection.

Can I change the network profile using PowerShell?

Yes. The Set-NetConnectionProfile cmdlet can change the network category. For example, Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet" -NetworkCategory Private changes an Ethernet connection to Private.

Why can't other computers see my Windows 11 PC?

Check whether the network is configured as Private on a trusted network. Then check network discovery, file sharing, firewall settings, permissions, and whether both computers are connected to the same local network.

Conclusion

Checking the network profile is a useful Windows 11 troubleshooting step, especially when you are dealing with network discovery, file sharing, printer sharing, or communication between devices on the same local network.

The quickest method is to open Settings > Network & internet and inspect the properties of the connected Wi-Fi or Ethernet network. You can also use Get-NetConnectionProfile in PowerShell when you want a more detailed view of the connection category.

Use Public for networks you do not trust or where you do not need local device discovery. Use Private when you trust the network and need your Windows 11 PC to participate in local network sharing.

Remember that the network profile does not control your internet speed. If your Ethernet connection is slow or unstable, continue troubleshooting the physical cable, network adapter, IP configuration, link speed, and Speed and Duplex settings.