# Mapping Network Drives with Group Policy in Active Directory

By McNairTech | June 2025 | Hands-On IT Lab Series

### Why This Lab?

This week I wanted to document a small but useful task I set up in my home Active Directory lab: using Group Policy to map a network drive for a specific group of users.

It's one of those things that feels simple, but in a real job setting, this kind of automation cuts down on support tickets and keeps users from constantly asking, “Where’s that shared folder again?”

### What I Needed

* A Windows Server with AD DS and Group Policy Management Console
    
* A Windows 11 VM joined to the domain
    
* A test OU with a few dummy users
    
* A shared folder on the domain controller
    

### Step 1 – Set Up the Shared Folder

On my DC, I created a folder at `C:\SharedFolder`. Right clicked it, went to Properties → Sharing → Advanced Sharing, and shared it as “Shared Folder.”

In Permissions, I gave access to Domain Users just for testing. (In production, I'd scope this to a specific security group instead.)

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1749685658554/ab995e67-e901-4314-a1e3-fc41111a693f.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1749685789555/29ca11bf-5153-4ad1-8160-a2a5c8c9f95c.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1749685844210/c6734a03-6dac-4545-bbcd-841f0edf295c.png align="center")

### Step 2 – Create and Link the GPO

I opened the Group Policy Management Console, found the OU I wanted (in this case, “Sales”), and created a new GPO called “Map Drive Z.”

Then I linked it to that OU so it would only affect users inside Sales.

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1749686029231/d3b49557-4831-4ae2-9925-91ff71e50555.png align="center")

### Step 3 – Configure the Drive Map

In the GPO editor, I went to:  
User Configuration → Preferences → Windows Settings → Drive Maps

Right-clicked → New → Mapped Drive

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1749686164687/81b96381-12dc-4a4b-acff-363dff2ed52e.png align="center")

Settings:

* Location: \\DC01\\Shared Folder
    
* Drive Letter: Z:
    
* Action: Update
    
* Gave it a label of “Company Share”
    

Saved and closed the editor

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1749905897537/80a6f129-e75d-4974-9bcb-5d27c3df68d4.png align="center")

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### Step 4 – Testing

On my Windows 11 VM (joined to the domain), I logged in as a test user from the Sales OU. After logging in, the Z: drive appeared in File Explorer, mapped to the shared folder on the server. If it doesn’t show up right away, running `gpupdate /force` helps, or just reboot.

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1749687996873/46fe5f63-110d-4cef-b5fc-cf102ec152a6.png align="center")

### A Few Notes

* You can also target drives by security group using item-level targeting
    
* Make sure your NTFS permissions on the folder itself match your share permissions, or users will see access denied errors even if the drive maps.
    
* Drive letter conflicts can be an issue if users already have something on Z:. Use an uncommon letter or set “Use first available” if needed.
    

### Wrapping Up

This is a small task, but it’s something I’ve done many times in real environments, and it always saves headaches in the long run. If you're working on building a HomeLab or prepping for an IT role, it's worth practicing how to set this up.