How to Share Files Between Linux and Windows on the Same Network
The answer depends on one question first: same computer (dual boot) or two separate computers? Same machine needs nothing extra; two machines need Samba, covered step by step for both directions.
Before anything else, there is one question to answer, because it completely changes what you need to do: are Windows and Linux on the same computer (dual boot) or on two different computers? These are two different situations, with solutions of different complexity — and most guides on this topic only cover the second, more complicated one, even though your case may be the first.
If Windows and Linux are on the same computer
You do not need to set up any network. When you installed Linux in dual boot, your Windows partition is still there, on the same disk — Linux can read it directly.
The easy way: open the Linux file manager and look in the side panel for something like "Windows" or your disk's name (it usually appears automatically among the available drives). Click it and you will see all your Windows files directly, with nothing to install or configure. You can copy files in both directions normally, by dragging and dropping.
Note: the other way around (seeing Linux files from Windows) is more limited: Windows does not natively read the format Linux uses to store its files. If you need normal access in both directions, the Windows folder is the simplest meeting point — keep there whatever you want to move between the two systems.
If this already solves what you needed, you do not need to keep reading. The rest of this article is for the other case: two physically separate computers.
If they are two different computers on the same network
Here you do need to share a folder over the network — Wi-Fi or cable, either works the same. The technology that makes this possible is called Samba: a program that lets a Linux computer "speak" the same file-sharing language that Windows uses natively.
Sharing a folder from Linux
Right-click the folder
Choose "Local Network Share" from the menu.
Install Samba if prompted
The system itself offers it with a button, no terminal needed.
Check "Share this folder"
And confirm with "Create Share".
Access it from Windows
File Explorer → Network → look for your Linux PC's name.
Warning: a folder shared this way is visible to any device connected to that same Wi-Fi network, not just your other computer. On a normal home network this is usually not a problem, but avoid sharing folders with sensitive documents this way if your Wi-Fi is used by more people than you trust with that content.
Accessing the shared folder from Windows
Open File Explorer and look for "Network" in the left-hand panel.
Your Linux computer's name should appear automatically. If it does
not, type \\ followed by the machine's name or its IP
address directly into the address bar.
Tip: if after following these steps Windows cannot find the Linux computer on the network, the most common cause is that Linux's firewall is blocking the connection. Most distributions with a graphical desktop already allow this kind of traffic by default, so if it happens to you, restarting both machines is usually enough before investigating anything more complicated.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install anything special on Windows?
No. Windows already includes everything needed out of the box to connect to a Samba-shared folder — it is Linux that needs the Samba program installed, and on most distributions it installs itself, with a button, the first time you share a folder.
Does it work over Wi-Fi or do I need a cable?
It works the same either way, as long as both computers are connected to the same network. Cable usually gives somewhat faster and more stable transfers, but it is not necessary.
Is it the same as sharing a folder between two Windows machines?
The end result for a Windows user looks the same (a folder under 'Network'), but under the hood Linux needs the Samba program to speak that same language, while between two Windows machines that function already comes built in on both sides.
Can I share a folder without it asking for a username and password?
Yes, by enabling the 'Guest access' option when sharing the folder from Linux — though for security it is only advisable on trusted home networks, never on a public Wi-Fi or one shared with strangers.