# Configure and access shared folders on macOS
In this article, you will learn how to set up a shared folder on macOS and access another device's shared folder from a macOS device.
## Create a sharing user
To grant access to your shared content for Meshnet peers, you need to create a new sharing user on your macOS. This newly created account must have a username and password, which will serve as authentication credentials for accessing the shared folder.
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="macOS Sonoma 14" %}
1. Select the Apple menu 
> **System settings**, and then click **Users & groups**.
2. Click **Add user**.
3. Enter your device's password and select **Unlock**.
4. In the new window, click the **New user** pop-up menu and then choose **Sharing only**.
5. Enter a name and password for the user.
6. Click **Create user**.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="macOS Ventura 13" %}
1. Select the Apple menu > **System settings**, and then click **Users & groups**.
2. Click the **Add account** button.
3. Enter your device's password and select **Unlock**.
4. In the new window, click the **New account** pop-up menu and then choose **Sharing only**.
5. Enter a name and password for the user.
6. Click **Create user**.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="macOS Monterey 12 or older" %}
1. Select the Apple menu > **System preferences**, and then click **Users & groups**.
2. Unlock the settings menu by clicking the lock in the lower-left corner of the window.
3. Enter your device’s password and select **Unlock**.
4. Click the plus (+) button on the sidebar menu.
5. In the new window, click the **New account** pop-up menu and then choose **Sharing only**.
6. Enter a name and password for the user.
7. Click **Create user**.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
## Configure a shared folder
Once you have created the sharing account, you can proceed to enable file sharing on your system and share your desired folder.
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="macOS Sonoma 14" %}
1. Select the Apple menu > **System settings** > **General**, and click **Sharing**.
2. Under **Content and media**, enable the **File sharing** toggle and click the Info
button.
3. In the **Shared folders** section, click the plus (+) button, choose the folder you want to share, and select **Open**.
4. Click the **Options** button.
5. Under **Windows file sharing**, select the user account you created earlier and click **Done**. You may be asked to enter the password of the added user.
6. Click **Done** to exit.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**
Due to a bug in macOS Sonoma, sharing-only users may not be displayed under the **Windows file sharing** section. In such cases, you should use your standard macOS user credentials to access the shared folder.
{% endhint %}
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="macOS Ventura 13" %}
1. Select the Apple menu > **System settings** > **General**, and click **Sharing**.
2. Enable the **File sharing** option and click the Infobutton.
3. Add the folders you want to share by clicking the plus (+) button in the **Shared folders** section.
4. Click the **Options** button.
5. Under **Windows file sharing**, select the user created earlier, and click **Done**. You may be asked to enter the password of the added user.
6. Click **Done** to exit.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="macOS Monterey 12 or older" %}
1. Select the Apple menu > **System preferences**, and then click **Sharing**.
2. Select **File sharing** and add the folders you want to share by clicking the plus (+) button.
3. To allow devices with other operating systems to access the shared folders, click the **Options** button in the **File sharing** section.
4. In the new window, select **Share files and folders using SMB**, select the user created earlier, and click **Done**. You may be asked to enter the password of the added user.
5. The finished configuration should look as shown:
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**
To access the shared folder, the peer device will need to use the sharing account's username and password for authentication.
{% endhint %}
## Access shared folders
{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**
You can find platform-specific instructions for accessing the shared folder in the appropriate guides:
* [Access shared folders from Windows](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/configure-and-access-shared-folders-on-windows#access-shared-folders)
* [Access shared folders from Linux](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/configure-and-access-shared-folders-on-linux#access-shared-folders)
* [Access shared folders from Android](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/set-up-folder-sharing/access-shared-folders-on-android)
* [Access shared folders from iPhone/iPad](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/set-up-folder-sharing/access-shared-folders-on-ios)
* [Access shared folders from Android TV](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/set-up-folder-sharing/access-shared-folders-from-android-tv)
{% endhint %}
To connect to a folder shared by a peer device in your Meshnet from a macOS device, you can use the Connect to server function of **Finder** 
.
1. Copy the sharer's Nord name from the NordVPN app by clicking it and choosing **Copy device’s Nord name**.
2. Control-click **Finder** and choose **Connect to server**.
3. In the new window, enter `smb://`, paste the Nord name followed by a slash (/) and the name of the shared folder, and then click **Connect**. \
\
**Example**
`smb://secret.meerkat-andes.nord/MeshnetFolder`
4. Click **Connect** once more to confirm the connection.
5. Select **Registered user**, and enter the username and password for accessing the shared folder.
6. If you don't want to enter authentication details for this folder again in the future, select the **Remember this password in my keychain** option.
7. Click **Connect**.
The shared folder should now open in **Finder**.
## See also
* [Configure and access shared folders on Windows](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/set-up-folder-sharing/configure-and-access-shared-folders-on-windows)
* [Configure and access shared folders on Linux](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/set-up-folder-sharing/configure-and-access-shared-folders-on-linux)
