Windows Security Network Credentials Windows 11 [2021] Jun 2026

Network credentials, also known as login credentials or authentication credentials, are the details used to verify your identity when accessing a network resource, such as a shared folder, printer, or remote desktop connection. In Windows 11, network credentials are used to authenticate your access to various network resources.

Windows 11 arrives with this fortress mentality pre-installed. The request for credentials is a manifestation of defense-in-depth. It forces a pause. It forces a human to intervene, to consciously say, "I trust this machine, and I am authorized to enter."

Network credentials are the required to access another machine or device on your network. In most cases, these are not the credentials of your current PC, but rather: