A homegroup is a group of computers on a home network that can share files and printers. Using a homegroup makes sharing easier. You can share pictures, music, videos, documents, and printers with other people in your homegroup. Other people can't change the files that you share unless you give them permission to do so. You can help protect your homegroup with a password, which you can change at any time.

When you set up a computer with this version of Windows, a homegroup is created automatically. If a homegroup already exists on your home network, you can join it.

After you create or join a homegroup, you select the libraries that you want to share. You can prevent specific files or folders from being shared, and you can share additional libraries later.

Computers must be running Windows 7 to participate in a homegroup. HomeGroup is available in all editions of Windows 7.

Note

In Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic, you can join a homegroup, but you can’t create one.

If you want to share files and printers with computers running earlier versions of Windows, see Networking home computers running different versions of Windows.

Article ID: MSW700033

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