How to Enable / Disable DLNA server on your Windows 10/11

The full form of DLNA is Digital Living Network Alliance. It is a software to explore media content stored in your PC by TVs and various other media devices on your network. Multimedia devices can share digital media between them via the DLNA server . It is also friendly with smartphones and can possible be used to stream content through the DLNA server where the smartphones are the wireless controls. It also works with cables, satellites and telecom to protect data on both sides, hence is used in the sharing of media.

How to enable DLNA server

You cannot enable DLNA server in Windows 10 through settings, therefore you have to use the Control Panel. The steps to enable DLNA are as follows:

1. Write Control Panel in the Window 10 search box, located in the lower left-hand side of the screen.

Control Panel

2. Choose Network and Internet option.

Network Internet Min

 



3. Now, select the Network and Sharing center.

 

Network And Sharing Center

 

4. Now, click on Media Streaming Options from the left menu.

 

Media Streaming Options Min

 

5. A window will appear, choose Turn on Media Streaming.

 

 

Turn On Media Streaming

 

6. A new page will open, with the following fields and options:

  • In the first row there is an empty field to enter the name of your media library and choose devices that can read it for easy identification if you want to acquire its contents.
  • The second row has a field to show devices on and usually by default it is on local networks.  By clicking on it, a drop box appears with two options: All Networks and Local Networks. If you want all devices to access the media library then choose All Networks.
  • In the last section of the page is a list of all devices allowed to access your media currently and you can at all times stop access to certain device by unchecking the Allowed box that appears on the right-side of the devices.

 

Local Network

 

After the completion of the steps mentioned above, you can share multimedia content or data to any of the streaming devices that have been given access. We hope you have a wonderful experience watching media on your TV through DLNA server. But later if you no longer wish to share data from your PC you can disable the DLNA server anytime.

How to disable DLNA server using service manager

You can disable DLNA server anytime by following the given steps:-

1. Type services.msc in the search box located in the task bar at the left-corner of the screen.

 

Services

 

2. On clicking the services.msc the services window will open as shown:

 

Services

 

 

3. Locate “Windows Media Player Network Sharing Services”.

 

 

Windows Media Player

 

4. A new windows box opens on double-clicking “Windows Media Player Network Sharing Services”. In this, there is an option for Startup type. Select the Disabled choice from the drop-box .

5. There is an option of Service Status, right below that select the second box Stop. And then Click on OK to save changes.

Stop Service Min

The earlier installed DLNA server will be disabled once you perform all the above mentioned steps.

Alternative method

You cannot enable DLNA server in Windows 10 through settings, therefore you have to use the Control Panel. The steps to enable DLNA are as follows:

1. Write Control Panel in the Window 10 search box, located in the lower left-hand side of the screen.

Control Panel

2. Choose Network and Internet option.



Network Internet Min

 

3. Now, select the Network and Sharing center.

 

Network And Sharing Center

 

4. Now, click on Media Streaming Options from the left menu.

 

Media Streaming Options Min

5 – Choose Block all

Block Media Streaming Min

Now, Your DLNA server is blocked