Fix Windows 10 Not Remembering Network Credentials

If Windows 10 keeps asking for a network username and password, check that you are saving the credentials for the correct computer name, then remove any stale entry in Credential Manager and reconnect. If the prompt returns, verify the account and sharing permissions on the computer or server you are accessing; a saved password cannot fix an incorrect username or an access restriction.

How Windows saves network credentials

When you connect to a shared folder or another network resource, Windows may offer to remember the credentials. These are stored in Windows Credential Manager, separately from the password for the Wi-Fi network you use to get online. A Wi-Fi password connects your device to the network; a network credential authenticates you to a specific computer, server, or shared resource.

A saved entry is associated with a target, often a computer name or network address. For example, an entry for FILEPC may not be used when you connect to the same computer by its IP address, such as 192.168.1.20. Windows can treat these as different targets. Using one consistent name or address is therefore important.

Save the correct credentials in Credential Manager

1. Open Start, type Credential Manager, and select it.
2. Choose Windows Credentials. Look for an entry matching the computer or server you access. Do not confuse it with a web credential or a Wi-Fi network.
3. If the entry is missing, choose Add a Windows credential. Enter the computer name or address in the Internet or network address field, followed by a valid username and password for that destination. Select OK.
4. Open File Explorer and connect to the resource using the same computer name or address you entered. For a shared folder, a path might look like \\FILEPC\Shared.

The username format depends on how the destination is configured. A local account on the remote computer may require its computer name followed by a backslash and the account name, such as FILEPC\alex. A work or school account may instead use a domain or organization-specific format. Use the format supplied by the administrator or the owner of the shared computer.

Remove stale entries and reconnect

An old password can cause Windows to keep prompting, even when a newer password is correct. In Credential Manager, expand the matching entry under Windows Credentials and choose Remove. Remove only the entry for the resource that is failing: deleting unrelated credentials may sign you out of other network services.

1. Close any File Explorer windows or programs using the shared resource.
2. Remove the stale credential from Credential Manager.
3. Reconnect to the same network path. When prompted, enter the current username and password and select the option to remember them, if it appears.
4. Disconnect and reconnect once more to check whether Windows now uses the saved entry.

If Windows says that multiple connections to the same server using different usernames are not allowed, disconnect existing sessions to that server before reconnecting with the intended account. Close open files first. You can also restart the computer to clear temporary connections, then connect using only the desired account.

Check the account, sharing, and network path

Confirm that the account works on the computer hosting the share and has permission to access that folder. On the host, sharing permissions and file-system permissions can both affect access; being able to see a computer on the network does not automatically grant permission to its files. If the password recently changed, update or remove the saved credential and enter the new one.

• Check that the destination computer is on, connected to the network, and using the expected computer name.
• Make sure the shared folder still exists and that the account is allowed to access it.
• Try entering the path directly in File Explorer, for example \\FILEPC\Shared, rather than relying on a previously mapped drive.
• If a drive letter is mapped, disconnect and map it again with the correct path and account.

Windows 10’s network discovery and file-sharing settings can also affect whether computers and shares are visible. In a trusted home or work network, check the relevant settings under Settings > Network & Internet and the sharing options in Control Panel. Do not enable discovery or file sharing on a public network simply to make a share appear. Follow your organization’s configuration if the PC is managed.

When saving still does not work

First, distinguish repeated authentication prompts from a connection failure. A wrong-password message points toward the account, password, or username format. A path that cannot be found may indicate a name-resolution, network, or sharing problem instead. Test the exact path and ask the share owner or administrator whether the account is permitted.

Check whether the prompt occurs only after signing out, restarting, or waking the computer. If it happens only for one application, that program may use its own saved sign-in information. If it affects several network resources, a work or school policy, a changed password, or a broader Windows profile issue may be involved. On a managed PC, contact IT before changing policy or registry settings.

Avoid guides that recommend turning off password-protected sharing, weakening authentication, or making broad registry changes as a first step. Those changes can expose files or make the computer less secure, and they may not address a stale or mismatched credential. Do not send your password to someone troubleshooting the connection; enter it only into the expected Windows prompt or an approved sign-in interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Windows 10 store network passwords?
Saved network credentials are listed in Credential Manager under Windows Credentials. Wi-Fi passwords are managed separately from credentials used to access shared folders or computers.

Why does Windows keep asking for my password after I save it?
The saved entry may target a different computer name or address, contain an old password, or use the wrong username format. Remove the matching stale entry and reconnect using one consistent network path.

Should I enter my Windows sign-in password?
Only if that account is also valid on the computer or server hosting the share. A local account on your Windows 10 PC is not automatically an account on another computer.

Can I save credentials for a shared folder?
Windows generally saves credentials for the computer or server that provides the share, not for an arbitrary folder name. Use the same host name or address when saving the entry and opening the share.

Will deleting a credential delete my files?
No. Removing an entry from Credential Manager deletes the stored sign-in information, not the shared files. You may need to enter valid credentials again to access them.

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