To reach a shared folder from an iPad, open the Files app, tap More (three dots) in the sidebar, choose Connect to Server, type an address such as smb://192.168.1.20, and sign in as a Guest or Registered User. The share then appears under Shared. File sharing must be on at the PC, Mac or NAS first.
The files you need are sitting in a shared folder on the office PC or the NAS in the closet, and the iPad on your lap can’t see any of them.
What Counts as a Network Server Here
In the Files app, a “server” is any device on your network that shares folders using SMB (Server Message Block), the standard file sharing protocol used by Windows, macOS and most NAS boxes. That covers three common setups:
- A Windows PC with a folder shared through File Explorer.
- A Mac with File Sharing turned on in System Settings.
- A NAS (network attached storage), the small always-on drive box many homes and offices use for backups and shared documents.
The iPad connects as a client. It opens, copies and saves files on the share; it doesn’t turn into a server itself. Apple’s iPad User Guide covers this under transferring files to a storage device, a server, or the cloud.
Get the Server Ready First
Most failed connections come from the server side, not the iPad. Check these three things before you touch the Files app.
Share the Folder on a Windows PC
Microsoft’s file sharing over a network guide gives these Windows 11 steps:
- In File Explorer, right-click the folder and select Show more options.
- Select Give access to > Specific people.
- Select a user on the network to share with, or select Everyone to give all network users access.
Microsoft also lists the network settings that need to be right: the PC and the iPad on the same network, the Wi-Fi network set to Private, and Network discovery plus File and printer sharing turned on under advanced sharing settings. Turning on network discovery in Windows 11 walks through those switches.
Turn On File Sharing on a Mac
Apple’s Mac file sharing guide uses System Settings > General > Sharing. Turn on File Sharing, click the Info button next to it, and add the folders you want under Shared Folders. Users in Users & Groups can connect by default, and each folder can be set to Read & Write, Read Only, Write Only (Drop Box) or No Access.
Check the NAS
On a NAS, make sure the shared folder exists, your user account has permission to it, and SMB file service is enabled in the NAS control panel. If the iPad can’t connect to an older NAS, check the NAS maker’s site for a firmware update and its file sharing (SMB) settings.
Find the Address
You need the server’s IP address or network name. On Windows, open Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi and then the network you’re connected to (or select Ethernet), and look for the number next to IPv4 address. On a Mac, open System Settings > Network, click the active connection, click Details, then click TCP/IP. A NAS usually shows its IP on its admin page or in your router’s list of connected devices.
A worked example: Marcus has a Windows 11 desktop at 192.168.1.20 with a shared folder called Invoices. His address is smb://192.168.1.20, and after signing in he opens the Invoices folder.
Connect From the Files App
- Open the Files app and tap the Sidebar button at the top of the screen.
- Tap the More button (three dots) at the top of the sidebar, then tap Connect to Server.
- Enter a local hostname or a network address, for example smb://192.168.1.20 or smb://office-pc.local, then tap Connect.
- Choose how to connect: Guest, if the shared computer permits guest access, or Registered User, then enter your user name and password.
- Tap Next, then select the server volume or shared folder in the Browse sidebar, below Shared.
For a Windows PC, the user name is the account on that PC, not your iPad’s Apple Account. If you don’t know it, finding network credentials in Windows 11 explains where to look.
Guest or Registered User?
| Choice | When to use it | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Guest | Shares set up for anyone on the network, like a media folder | Works only if the shared computer permits guest access |
| Registered User | Work files, anything with permissions | Enter the user name and password of an account on the server |
Once connected, the share behaves like any other location in Files:
- Open a file by tapping it. Documents, PDFs, images and videos open in the matching app.
- Copy to the iPad by touching and holding a file, tapping Copy, then pasting into On My iPad or iCloud Drive. Dragging between two Files windows also works.
- Save to the share from another app with the Share button > Save to Files, then pick the server under Shared.
- Make new folders on the share if your account has write permission.
Large videos copy faster over 5 GHz Wi-Fi or with the iPad close to the router. For files already on the iPad, finding your files on iPhone or iPad explains the other Files locations.
Disconnect and Reconnect
To disconnect, tap the Eject button next to the server in the Browse sidebar. Leaving the network also drops the connection. To reconnect, open Connect to Server again: servers you have used appear in the Recent Servers list on that screen, so you can tap the name instead of typing the address.
When the iPad Won’t Connect
- “Connection failed” right away. Check the address format and that the server is awake. A sleeping PC or Mac won’t answer.
- Wrong user name or password. Use an account that exists on the server and has permission to that folder.
- Different networks. The iPad must be on the same local network. Guest Wi-Fi networks often block devices from seeing each other.
- Windows set to Public. Microsoft’s checklist says the Wi-Fi network should be Private for file sharing.
- Firewall or security software on the server can block file sharing. Check its settings for file and printer sharing.
- Old NAS. Install the latest firmware and check the NAS file service settings.
If a Windows PC also needs to reach the same share, mapping a network drive in Windows 11 is a good test: if the PC can’t map it, the problem is on the server or network, not the iPad.
What the Files App Doesn’t Do
Connect to Server is built for SMB shares. FTP, SFTP and WebDAV servers need a third-party file manager app from the App Store. Reaching a home server from outside the house needs a VPN into that network; don’t expose SMB directly to the internet. Plugged-in drives are a different route: see accessing a USB drive on an iPad.
Network Server Questions
Can I connect without Wi-Fi?
The iPad needs a network path to the server: the same Wi-Fi or wired network, or a VPN. A USB-C to Ethernet adapter also works on USB-C iPads.
Is it safe on public Wi-Fi?
Only through a VPN to your own network. SMB traffic on public Wi-Fi can be exposed.
Can I add more than one server?
Yes. Repeat Connect to Server with each address. Each one is listed separately under Shared.
Why don’t I see Connect to Server?
Open the sidebar first; the More button sits at the top of it. Also update iPadOS in Settings > General > Software Update.
Set up the share, note the address, then connect from Files once. After the first time, getting back to the share is a tap away.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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