Turn a Windows PC into a basic home server: SSH, file shares and Remote Desktop

Use any always-on Windows PC as a small server: install the built-in OpenSSH server, share folders over SMB from PowerShell, and enable Remote Desktop safely.

intermediateUpdated 2026-11-02

You don’t need Windows Server to run a useful home server. A spare desktop or mini PC running Windows 10 or 11 can share files, accept SSH logins and be controlled remotely, all with built-in features. Everything below happens in PowerShell run as administrator.

0. Give it a fixed address

Servers need an address that doesn’t change. The easiest way is a DHCP reservation in your router: find the PC in the router’s client list and choose “reserve IP” or “always use this IP”. That’s easier to undo than setting a static IP in Windows.

1. OpenSSH Server: log in from any computer

OpenSSH ships with Windows as an optional feature. Microsoft’s steps:

# See what's installed
Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object Name -like 'OpenSSH*'

# Install the server
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0

# Start it now and on every boot
Start-Service sshd
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'

# Setup normally creates this firewall rule; confirm it exists
Get-NetFirewallRule -Name 'OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP'

On Windows Server 2025, OpenSSH is already installed. Turn it on in Server Manager → Local Server → Remote SSH Access.

From another machine, connect with ssh username@server-name (domain accounts use domain\username@server-name). The first connection asks you to confirm the server’s fingerprint.

2. Share a folder over SMB

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path 'D:\Shares\Media' -Force
New-SmbShare -Name 'Media' -Path 'D:\Shares\Media' -FullAccess "$env:COMPUTERNAME\$env:USERNAME" -ReadAccess 'Everyone'
Get-SmbShare
  • Other computers reach it at \\server-name\Media (Windows) or smb://server-name/Media (Mac: Finder → Go → Connect to Server).
  • The share permissions above sit on top of the folder’s own NTFS permissions. A user needs both to get access.
  • To add encryption on the wire, add -EncryptData $true. Remove a share with Remove-SmbShare -Name 'Media'.
  • Want a Mac to keep the share mounted? See Auto-mount NAS shares on a Mac.

3. Remote Desktop

Turn it on under Settings → System → Remote Desktop. Microsoft notes that only Pro, Enterprise, Education and Server editions can accept Remote Desktop connections. Windows Home can connect to other PCs but can’t be connected to.

  • Administrators can connect automatically. Add other users under “Remote Desktop users”.
  • Keep Network Level Authentication turned on.
  • Connect with the Windows App (Mac, iPhone, Android) or mstsc on Windows.

Don’t open these to the internet

Microsoft warns that turning on Remote Desktop opens a port that’s reachable on your local network, and recommends using it only on trusted networks. Forwarding port 3389 (RDP) or 22 (SSH) from your router straight to this PC invites constant password-guessing attacks. To reach the server from outside, use a VPN such as WireGuard or Tailscale instead. See Servers & Self-Hosting → Remote Access.

When to step up to Windows Server

Windows Server adds roles client Windows doesn’t have, such as Active Directory Domain Services and the DNS and DHCP server roles, and it’s licensed and tuned for many more simultaneous users. Browse Windows → Server Basics for guides on those.

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