fsmgmt.msc Guide: Manage Windows Shares, Sessions and Open Files

QUICK ANSWER

fsmgmt.msc opens the Windows Shared Folders Microsoft Management Console snap-in. Administrators use it to create and inspect SMB network shares, see which users are connected, identify files opened through those shares, and disconnect sessions or close files when necessary.

Press Windows key + R, enter fsmgmt.msc, and select OK. Administrative permission is normally required to create or remove shares, change permissions, manage remote computers, disconnect users, or close open files.

What Is fsmgmt.msc?

fsmgmt.msc is the console file for the Windows Shared Folders MMC snap-in. It provides a graphical interface for administering folders that a Windows computer exposes to other devices through the Server Message Block protocol, commonly called SMB.

The console organizes information into three main areas:

Console section	What it displays	Typical purpose
Shares	Published SMB shares, their local paths and related properties	Create, review or stop sharing folders
Sessions	Clients and users currently connected to the SMB server	Investigate active connections or disconnect a user
Open Files	Files that remote clients currently have open	Identify locks and close a file when necessary

The tool manages shares hosted by the selected Windows computer. It is not a file browser, cloud-sharing service, backup utility, FTP manager or replacement for NTFS permissions.

How fsmgmt.msc Works

Running fsmgmt.msc starts Microsoft Management Console and loads the Shared Folders snap-in. The snap-in queries the Windows SMB server components for information about:

Published share names and their corresponding local paths
Connected client computers and authenticated users
Files opened remotely through SMB
Share-level permissions and selected share properties

Changes made in the console affect the computer currently selected in the snap-in. They do not automatically configure every server or computer on the network.

The console reports server-side SMB activity. A file opened locally on the host might not appear under Open Files, because that view is intended primarily for files opened through network shares.

Requirements and Prerequisites

Before using the console, verify the following:

The Windows installation includes the Shared Folders MMC snap-in.
You have administrative authorization for the computer being managed.
The Server service is available and running when the computer hosts SMB shares.
Network discovery and the appropriate File and Printer Sharing firewall rules are configured when remote access is required.
The remote computer is reachable and permits remote administration.
Organizational policies do not prohibit file sharing or remote MMC management.

Being able to open the console does not guarantee permission to perform every action. Windows might display information but deny an administrative operation if the console is not elevated or the account lacks sufficient rights.

How to Open fsmgmt.msc

Open It from Run

Press Windows key + R.
Enter:

fsmgmt.msc

Select OK.

For operations requiring elevation, search for Windows Tools or Computer Management, open it as an administrator, and select Shared Folders.

Open It Through Computer Management

Right-click Start.
Select Computer Management.
Expand System Tools.
Select Shared Folders.

This displays substantially the same management interface inside the larger Computer Management console.

Open It from a Terminal

From Command Prompt, Windows PowerShell or Windows Terminal, run:

fsmgmt.msc

If administrative rights are required, open the terminal with Run as administrator first.

Understanding the Shares View

The Shares section lists folders and resources published by the selected computer. Common columns include the share name, local folder path, type, description and number of active client connections.

A share name forms part of its Universal Naming Convention path:

\\SERVER-NAME\ShareName

For example, a share named Projects on FILESERVER01 is normally accessed as:

\\FILESERVER01\Projects

Regular and Special Shares

Normal shares are created for users or applications. Windows may also display special administrative shares, including:

Share	Typical purpose
`ADMIN$`	Remote administration of the Windows directory
`C$`, `D$` and similar	Administrative access to drive roots
`IPC$`	Interprocess communication and SMB session functions

A dollar sign makes a share hidden from ordinary browsing, but it does not secure the share. Access is still controlled through authentication, authorization, share permissions and file-system permissions.

Administrative shares should not be removed merely to hide a computer. Windows or administrative tools may recreate or depend on them, and disabling them can interfere with legitimate management operations.

How to Create a Shared Folder

To create a share through fsmgmt.msc:

Open the console with administrative rights.
Right-click Shares.
Select New Share.
Follow the Create a Shared Folder Wizard.
Select the local folder to publish.
Enter a share name and optional description.
Configure the proposed share permissions.
Review the settings and complete the wizard.
Test access from an authorized client using \\ComputerName\ShareName.

Creating a share does not move or duplicate the folder. It exposes the existing folder through an SMB path.

Share Permissions and NTFS Permissions

For a folder stored on NTFS, network access is governed by both:

Share permissions, which apply when users connect through the share
NTFS permissions, configured on the folder’s Security tab

A user must be permitted by both layers. In practical terms, the more restrictive combined result controls network access. Explicit deny entries can override otherwise applicable allow entries, so deny permissions should be used carefully.

A maintainable business configuration often uses:

Controlled share permissions
Detailed NTFS permissions assigned to security groups
Least-privilege access rather than broad permissions for Everyone
Separate groups for read-only and modify access

Do not grant Full Control unless users must change permissions or take ownership. Most users who edit files need Modify, not Full Control.

How to Modify or Stop a Share

Right-click a share to inspect its properties, review permissions, or stop sharing it. Available options can vary by Windows version and share type.

Stopping a share:

Removes its network path
Disconnects users accessing it
Can interrupt applications and file operations
Does not normally delete the underlying local folder or its contents

Before stopping a production share, check Sessions and Open Files, notify affected users, and confirm that no application depends on the share.

Special or system-managed shares may not behave like ordinary user-created shares. Avoid changing them without understanding their purpose.

Understanding SMB Sessions

A session represents an authenticated SMB connection between a client and the Windows computer hosting the share. The Sessions view can show details such as:

Connected user
Client computer
Number of open files
Connection or idle information, depending on the Windows version

One user or computer may establish more than one session because of separate credentials, applications, SMB server instances or connection behavior.

Disconnecting a Session

To disconnect a user:

Select Sessions.
Identify the correct user and client computer.
Confirm that disconnecting the session will not interrupt important work.
Right-click the session and select Close Session.

Closing a session terminates that client’s connection and closes files associated with it. Unsaved data can be lost, and the client may reconnect automatically if an application continues requesting the share.

Understanding Open Files

The Open Files view shows resources opened remotely through the server’s SMB shares. It is useful when:

A file reports that it is in use
A document cannot be renamed, moved or deleted
Maintenance requires exclusive access
A user has left a file open
An application upgrade is blocked by an SMB file handle

The displayed entries may include the open file path, user, lock count, access mode or related connection information.

Safely Closing an Open File

Ask the user to save and close the file normally.
Refresh the console and confirm that the entry remains open.
Verify the user, client and file path.
Right-click the entry and select Close Open File only when necessary.
Confirm that the application or maintenance operation can now continue.

Warning: Forcibly closing an open file can discard unsaved changes, damage an in-progress transaction, interrupt a database, or leave an application in an inconsistent state. It should be a last resort, not routine file-lock management.

Do not force-close database, virtual-machine, accounting, backup or application data files without following the product vendor’s shutdown and recovery procedure.

Managing a Remote Computer

The snap-in can connect to another Windows computer when network access, firewall configuration, services, credentials and administrative permissions allow it.

In the console:

Right-click Shared Folders (Local) or use the Action menu.
Select Connect to another computer.
Enter or browse for the remote computer.
Select OK.
Verify the computer name shown in the console before making changes.

Remote management can fail even when ordinary file access works. SMB file access and remote MMC administration do not have identical permission and firewall requirements.

Use a secured management network, authorized administrative account and Windows-supported remote-management configuration. Do not expose SMB or remote-management ports directly to the public internet.

PowerShell Alternatives

PowerShell is preferable for automation, filtering, reporting and repeatable administration. Run the relevant commands with appropriate administrative rights.

List SMB Shares

Get-SmbShare

Display detailed information for one share:

Get-SmbShare -Name "Projects" | Format-List *

List Active SMB Sessions

Get-SmbSession

List Files Opened Through SMB

Get-SmbOpenFile

Query a Remote Computer

SMB cmdlets that support -CimSession can query a remote computer through a configured CIM session:

$CimSession = New-CimSession -ComputerName "FILESERVER01"
Get-SmbShare -CimSession $CimSession

Remote CIM management requires suitable credentials, firewall rules and management configuration.

Use Close-SmbSession, Close-SmbOpenFile, New-SmbShare, Set-SmbShare and Remove-SmbShare only after reviewing their current Microsoft documentation. The close and remove operations can disrupt users or services.

Benefits of fsmgmt.msc

The Shared Folders console provides several practical advantages:

Centralized visibility: Shares, sessions and remotely opened files appear in one interface.
Faster file-lock diagnosis: Administrators can identify which remote user has a file open.
Simpler share administration: The wizard helps create a basic share without memorizing commands.
Active-user monitoring: Sessions help show who is currently connected to the SMB server.
Immediate intervention: Authorized administrators can disconnect a session or close a stuck file.
Remote administration: Multiple Windows computers can be managed from an administrative workstation when properly configured.
Low learning curve: The graphical interface is accessible to beginners while still useful for daily support work.
Built-in availability: It uses native Windows management components rather than an additional third-party utility.

Security Best Practices

Apply Least Privilege

Grant users only the access required for their work. Prefer named security groups over individual permission entries, especially in Active Directory environments.

Review Both Permission Layers

Do not assess security from share permissions alone. Review the underlying NTFS access control list as well.

Avoid Unsecured Guest Access

Use authenticated accounts. Do not enable insecure guest access merely to make an old device connect.

Keep SMB1 Disabled

Do not enable SMB1 to solve compatibility problems unless a documented, isolated legacy requirement leaves no safer option. Replace or isolate devices that cannot use supported SMB versions.

Protect SMB Traffic

Use current SMB security features supported by the clients and servers, including signing and encryption where required by organizational policy or data sensitivity.

Restrict Network Exposure

Allow SMB only on trusted networks and through appropriately scoped firewall rules. Never forward TCP port 445 from the public internet directly to an ordinary Windows file server. Use an approved VPN, SMB over QUIC deployment where supported, or another secure remote-access solution.

Audit Before Disconnecting Users

A session or file may belong to a service account, backup job, database, virtual machine or line-of-business application. Confirm its purpose before terminating it.

Common Problems and Troubleshooting

“Windows Cannot Find fsmgmt.msc”

Possible causes include an incorrect command, damaged system files, unsupported or removed management components, or organizational restrictions.

Try the following:

Confirm that the command is exactly fsmgmt.msc.
Open Computer Management and look for Shared Folders.
Check whether %SystemRoot%\System32\fsmgmt.msc exists.
Install pending Windows updates.
If system corruption is suspected, have an administrator run supported Windows repair tools.

Do not download an .msc file from an unofficial website.

Access Is Denied

Access denial usually indicates insufficient privileges, User Account Control restrictions, remote-management policy, firewall configuration or unavailable services.

Verify that:

The account is an authorized administrator on the target computer.
The console or terminal is elevated when required.
The correct computer is selected.
Remote administration is permitted.
Required Windows services and firewall rules are enabled.

No Shares Are Displayed

Check that the console is connected to the expected computer and that the Server service is running. Also confirm that your account is permitted to enumerate the target computer’s shares.

PowerShell can provide a second verification:

Get-SmbShare

No Sessions or Open Files Are Displayed

This can be normal. These sections only show current relevant SMB activity. They may be empty when:

No remote clients are connected
Connected clients have no files open
A file is open locally rather than through SMB
You are viewing the wrong server
Your account cannot retrieve the information

Refresh the console after reproducing the client connection.

A Closed Session Reappears

The user’s application, Windows Explorer, mapped drive, service or scheduled task may reconnect automatically. Find and stop the source of the connection rather than repeatedly closing the session.

A File Remains Locked After It Is Closed

The lock may be local, held by another SMB session, recreated by an application, or associated with a different server in a clustered or distributed environment. Check all relevant sessions and confirm where the file is actually hosted.

For an SMB server, compare the graphical result with:

Get-SmbOpenFile

Do not reboot a production server solely to clear a lock until the owning process and operational impact have been investigated.

Limitations of fsmgmt.msc

fsmgmt.msc has important boundaries:

It primarily manages Windows-hosted SMB shares.
It does not replace File Server Resource Manager.
It does not configure DFS namespaces or DFS Replication.
It does not provide complete file-access auditing or historical reports.
It does not display every local file handle.
It does not manage cloud shares such as SharePoint or OneDrive.
It offers limited automation compared with PowerShell.
Its remote features depend on network and security configuration.
Some advanced SMB, clustering and storage settings require PowerShell, Server Manager, Windows Admin Center or specialized tools.
Available properties and actions can differ across Windows versions and editions.

For historical auditing, enable an appropriate Windows audit policy and collect relevant security events before an incident occurs. The console is mainly a real-time administrative view.

What to Expect After Making Changes

After creating a share, authorized users should be able to reach its UNC path if name resolution, firewall rules, credentials, share permissions and NTFS permissions are correct.

After stopping a share, its UNC path becomes unavailable, but the local folder ordinarily remains intact.

After closing a file or session, the associated user may receive an application or network error. The connection can return if the client retries automatically. Always verify the result and check that no data recovery is required.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is fsmgmt.msc safe to use?

Yes. It is a built-in Windows management console. However, its administrative actions can interrupt users or cause loss of unsaved data. Verify the target before removing a share, closing a session or forcing a file closed.

Does fsmgmt.msc enable file sharing?

Opening the console does not enable file sharing by itself. Creating a share publishes a folder, but successful access also depends on the Server service, firewall rules, authentication, share permissions and file-system permissions.

Do I need administrator rights?

Administrative rights are generally required to create or remove shares, change share permissions, close sessions, force-close files and manage another computer. Read-only visibility may also be restricted.

Does stopping a share delete the folder?

Normally, no. Stopping a share removes network access through that share name but leaves the underlying local folder and files in place. Confirm the target before proceeding.

Why can a user see a share but not open its files?

The user may have permission to discover or connect to the share but lack sufficient NTFS permission for its contents. Review both share and NTFS permissions, including inherited and explicit deny entries.

Can fsmgmt.msc show who edited or deleted a file?

No. It provides a current view of sessions and remotely opened files, not a complete historical audit trail. File-system auditing must be configured separately before the activity occurs.

Can it manage shares on another Windows computer?

Yes, when remote administration is permitted and the account, services, firewall rules and network configuration support it. Successful access to a shared folder alone does not guarantee remote MMC access.

Why does an open file not appear in the console?

It may have been opened locally, closed before the view refreshed, opened through another server, or hidden by insufficient permissions. The Open Files view focuses on active server-side SMB file handles.

What is the best alternative to fsmgmt.msc?

Use the SMBShare PowerShell module for automation and reporting. Computer Management offers the same snap-in in a broader console, while Windows Admin Center and Server Manager may be more suitable for centralized server administration.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION / CONCLUSION

Use fsmgmt.msc for quick, graphical administration of Windows SMB shares, current client sessions and remotely opened files. It is especially useful for creating basic shares and investigating network file locks.

Configure both share and NTFS permissions according to least privilege, keep legacy SMB1 disabled, restrict SMB to trusted networks, and avoid forcibly closing files unless users have saved their work and the operational impact is understood. For repeatable administration, remote reporting or management at scale, use the supported SMB PowerShell cmdlets alongside appropriate auditing and security controls.

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