Windows 10 file explorer slow over vpn May 10, 2023 · Since I have selected all apps and all ports, the policy throttles the maximum network file transfer rate to 3 MB (including file copy using File Explorer — explorer. Files/Folders are already locally synched. workflow looks something like this: 1-connect to VPN 2-connect to mapped drives 3-open folder with images, click on one image which opens the native windows photo viewer. Yes we have more people on the VPN network than usual (about 100 over the cisco VPN anyconnect) however none of our servers are running resources that are high, CPU, memory etc. This problem often indicates that the system is struggling to load important files or folders. This was usually done for backward compatibility a number of years ago. Jan 17, 2021 · Since i know Folder Redirection / Offline files are usually non-functional unless of course it is set to be always offline and because VPN doesnt connect until after login with cached credentials , I am doubting if removing offline files via GPO admin… Mar 12, 2020 · Hi Spice Works, here is my setup: Server 2012 in California running a Domain with local workstations I have 15 computers in Texas on same domain, pointing to DNS server in California 30ms ping times between DC and Texas location, 100% stable VPN Issue: Windows explorer is running slow, here is some examples: Browsing files within a folder on local drive I right click a LOCAL file, takes up to Sep 26, 2022 · I realise I've used slow, which doesn't really mean anything but as a comparison. edit Apr 24, 2022 · If your Windows 10 file explorer hangs or freezes, simply read this article and perform the mentioned steps to easily fix it. Jun 23, 2021 · 3 I can confirm by empirical testing that those VPN clients install a network driver which gets automatically enabled on each and every network interface. Last time I encountered this problem it was due to the part of the windows file sharing protocol that handles addressing by name not passing over the VPN connection. 0 host. Now today, the same behavior is happing when connected in the office. Autodesk Products are not tested to work over a VPN connection. They take 20-30 seconds to open an office file saved on the desktop, logon takes 30-90 seconds, and the general responsiveness of the machine is borderline unusable. But this refresh came with performance inconsistencies. I suspect this has something to do with how Windows handles file transfers, as it probably doesn't expect any latency. Dec 23, 2022 · @ wingrait said in Network Drive Slow Performance?: Since the normal OpenVPN web traffic doesn't seem to be affected and the network shares/mapped drives work at substantially higher speeds in the office, it seems to be a problem with the combination of OpenVPN + mapped/network drives. All computers Jan 11, 2022 · The shares are in a Linux based NAS operating on a windows AD network. Note: VPN connections are considered a third-party network and the integrity of performance is not ensured. Apr 1, 2024 · Windows 11 File Explorer is slow, lags and freezes? If yes, in this guide you will find the most reliable methods to solve the problem. There's too much protocol overhead related to SMB. Feb 8, 2019 · Platform: Windows 10 Pro x64 Domain Functional Level: 2016 I am having an issue with Slow-Link Mode for Offline Files. However, this convenient tool ceases to work sometimes, and you may run into a problem. Feb 5, 2021 · I mounted a Azure File share on to my desktop trying test connectivity. She is running Windows 11. Over the years, it’s only improved in terms of features and performance. If the file is transferred over HTTP or FTP, it's just as fast as you expect. Try these seven tips to speed things up. I looked at MTU and other settings on the SonicWall, and even reached out Mar 31, 2021 · 0 Working remotely over VPN, when I save a large file to our file server, I am unable to browse any other file shares on the server during that time. Jul 16, 2025 · Experiencing slow performance in Windows 11 due to OneDrive? Follow these expert fixes to stop OneDrive from slowing down your PC and speed up syncing. Oct 1, 2016 · I was not able to get the files to synchronize via the slow VPN connection. Accessing Windows file shares over a VPN has never been good in my experience, and is never likely to be good. This is quickly resolved by connecting to Azure VPN and restarting Windows File Explorer (from the taskbar). Personal OneDrive, v 2019 build 19. Jul 25, 2024 · If Windows 11 remote desktop is very slow, don't panic. We never had the problem with Windows 10. I then waited for it to open and then I closed it. the user are connected via vpn client to our server. wondering if its latency thing or the usual windows 10 file explorer bug. What's even more bizarre is if I change our VPN protocol from SSL to L2PT then this drops even further to around 10MB/s. Client machines are all Windows 10 Pro. All users are able to open files from mapped drives, interact with them, then save and close the files…except ONE user. 5 days of troubleshooting and hair-pulling, and hopefully it saves someone else from going through the same. Is there a setting I'm missing to tell my PC, effectively, "it's fine if you can't see these directories right now don't worry about it"? Oct 30, 2019 · Greetings! I have a client for which a single user experiences severe lag when opening PDFs from a particular network drive. Reconnecting immediately still does not allow saving the file. Jul 1, 2019 · The file server is a Windows Server 2012 R2 machine, we have another one running Windows Server 2008 R2 and a Synology Rackstation, all 3 have identical file copy performance over the VPN. Whether you're a Windows 10 veteran or enjoying the sleek interface of Windows 11, sluggish or freezing File Explorer can grind your 6 hours ago · Microsoft has acknowledged persistent performance problems with File Explorer in Windows 11 and announced plans to preload the application in the background to reduce launch delays. My issue is when I am remote I log into my laptop then connect to the VPN (SonicWALL). These are all new machines running fresh installs of Win 10 and up to date with patches. If he uses the UNC path to the share, it opens immediately. Thumbnails may seem like a small thing but it isn’t easy generating thumbnails for lots of files. DS_Store files before displaying. Jul 1, 2020 · My users are all Windows 10. exe). Nov 12, 2025 · Yesterday’s November cumulative for Windows 11, shipped as KB5068861, has triggered a small but noisy set of community reports — including one detailed Reddit post alleging sudden black screens, locked brightness, and repeated driver failures after the update installed mid-game — prompting fresh Jun 28, 2017 · I connected to a VPN through Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. The Feb 8, 2019 · Platform: Windows 10 Pro x64 Domain Functional Level: 2016 I am having an issue with Slow-Link Mode for Offline Files. May 18, 2017 · users on windows 10 are having issues with file explorer taking way too long to list the folders. Jan 15, 2025 · When you use Windows Explorer to connect to a shared folder on a remote computer on your network, and you double-click a file in that shared folder to open it, it may take a longer time than expected to open the file. For example maybe a network shared drive has 20 folders but when connected to VPN only 3 of those 20 folders appear. Looking at the server I can see the DFS path is correct. When the file transfer is cancelled or finishes, the folders pop right up. This could be due to an Offline Files issue where certain folders are synced between the computer and the server for some reason but the other folders are not. we have disabled windows search, customized folders for general items, disabled quick access but they face the issue. We found that KB5068861 causes certain Windows 10/11 Pro clients to completely stop using server-side Windows Search indexing over SMB. The Synology shares are in the Terabyte range and are accessed using IP-address-slash-sharename. I guess you validated this video : Why Are SMB File Transfers Slow Over A VPN? ( posted 21 hours ago). Mapped network drive may fail to reconnect in Windows 10, version 1809 - Windows Client Has anyone seen slow-to-open Windows 10 File Explorer when not on a VPN? This seems to be an intermittent but consistent issue with some users. Apr 4, 2017 · We have site-to-sites as well as a WANGroup on our SonicWall for them to VPN into from home/on travel. Oct 14, 2019 · Our office is using Shrew Soft VPN Client to let remote worker to connect to the local file server. However frequently File Explorer often takes a LONG time to loa 19 hours ago · The Problem: File Explorer’s Slow Start in Windows 11 When Windows 11 launched, Microsoft redesigned several UI elements in pursuit of a more modern and refined interface. You click on a folder, wait 30 seconds up to 2 minutes to display files. Specifically, we want to access the below directory and files : Mar 6, 2010 · The problem is that once they are connected, they are reporting for slow windows explorer browsing. This happens even when opening a file that is not on the network. Sep 10, 2025 · A complete guide on how to create and access a local network while on VPN on Windows 10, and manage files remotely. After I enter the DFS path and then my credentials, I am prompted a second time for my credentials at which point If this is a Windows 10 system you might want to change the file explorer default to open “my PC” rather than “quick access”. All applications work great but some of my drive mappings don’t show up in File Explorer. The underlying architectural changes — including the introduction of new code Overview There is limited access provided to file shares over VPN. Jun 28, 2017 · I connected to a VPN through Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. Aug 30, 2020 · Any ideas why? PS. They are mainly working from home at the moment on a domain joined laptop and use a VPN to connect in for network drive access etc. Sep 3, 2023 · The explorer window simply freezes up. Microsoft is addressing slow File Explorer launches in Windows 11. Windows Search / Indexing Problems File Explorer queries the Windows Search index when opening folders. 19 hours ago · The result is a Windows 11 GUI that many see as a low point in the OS's long history, usable but slow and inconsistent. Our VPN users experience very slow file transfers (50MB can take 20 minutes with a 20Mbps FiOS connection on each side). Press + E to open Windows Explorer. Sync Center just shows ‘last synced’ and then yesterdays Which one fixed your problem? File Explorer is a very robust app. One of our users Window 11 laptops has started to get the issue where accessing a folder tends to freeze up for a few seconds (sometimes completely, promoting a restart of explorer And I literally never view files over the network (or locally) as thumbnails in Windows Explorer because it too slow and cumbersome. A new feature will preload the application in the background. Jun 21, 2021 · Issue: When users open File Explorer (not connected to the Azure VPN) the explorer window hangs at “Working on it…” when accessing ‘This PC’ or Quick Access’. However, if you manually enter the full UNC path to the file in the File Explorer address Jan 11, 2022 · The shares are in a Linux based NAS operating on a windows AD network. 1110. The Mac OS finder by default scans folder contents and . For instance, if a user is connected on VPN, when he / she tries to access his local files and folders on the computer, the navigation from one folder to the other is extremely slow. Feb 14, 2025 · Slow copy speeds and low network throughput are expected behavior when transferring a large number of small files over the network using File Explorer and other single-threaded copy tools. The delay is experienced in the time prior to Adobe itself being launched. even opening device and printers in the control panel Mar 6, 2019 · - I had upgraded my file share server from Windows 2008 R2 to Windows 2016, but accessing file shares is still slow over Global Protect VPN - Finally, I upgraded the PAN to 8. While it's possible to just drag-and-drop the file using Windows explorer, to copy the file, there is a good chance that the VPN will timeout or my internet connection will flake out at some point during the transfer. I believe SMB v3 is the default on Windows and Mac systems these days. Could that be the cause? Is there a setting in the GPO that disables the drive map and folder redirection when off domain? Computer runs great on domain or logged in with a local account. Everything worked awesome until I deleted the Azure File share in Subscription. he will then cycle thru images using the left/right Mar 25, 2020 · I am sure others are running into similar issues. Any suggestions help, All well and good. I can see it when trying to download a file and saving it to the local disk, creating new folders, copying and moving files/folders, etc. number of users 400 problem: redirecting folders back to local profile is… Aug 28, 2025 · If the Remote Desktop Connection is very slow on your Windows 11/10 PC, follow these tips to make the remote desktop faster. Mar 12, 2023 · Microsoft has finally addressed a known issue causing significant performance hits when copying large files over SMB after installing the Windows 11 2022 update. Pinging the server shows that the latency is >200ms. I only want the Sep 6, 2024 · We deploy mapped drives via group policy. Then accessing files in shared network becomes very slow, took 30 seconds to open a text file in vim. File Explorer/Browser just freezes for about 5 seconds for NO REASON!! Tried everything to troubleshoot but no go. Please can you share the internet speeds of the business, where the VPN and servers Oct 2, 2020 · I bought new HP 14s dr1008tu with Windows 10 and started using VPN . 0006. To open files via VPN, try the following: Check that the appropriate permissions are set Sep 11, 2025 · Our step-by-step guide shows how to quickly map network drives over VPN on Windows 10 to protect your computer and network from hackers. Aug 13, 2025 · Comprehensive solutions to resolve Windows 11 File Explorer lag, hanging, and slow performance after Quick Access usage. Apr 29, 2021 · I have two Windows 10 PCs on a home network. Or, its search feature . Copying a 4mb file to the Azure vms, takes a couple of seconds, copying a 4mb file from the Azure vm over the public ip, takes a couple of seconds. If you're left wondering why your File Explorer is so slow, this article will help you resolve this Jan 3, 2025 · If you notice slow internet during a VPN connection, create split tunneling to route traffic via local internet on Windows 11 and 10. lol. 1. In the past I’ve mapped to these drives no problem. Instead of returning indexed results instantly, File Explorer silently falls back to brutal, minutes-long directory Nov 26, 2023 · If OneDrive is very slow to open files in Explorer, temporarily pause file sync, clear OneDrive storage, and reset it. They access each others files via Mapped Network Drives. Sometimes, File Explorer’s search bar takes too long to load your search results. I have set the below group policy to disabled: - **Computer Configuration\\Administrative Templates\\Network\\Offline Files\\Configure slow-link mode** Which means that a folder should never go in to Slow-Link mode while connected to a network share/resource. Disabling this driver in the NIC properties (on NICs which are not related to that specific VPN) fixes the issue, and the VPN client still works. Which one did? I have recently built a computer for a small business that is running Windows Server 2019, and configured a VPN through RRAS to allow users to access files from home. Mar 26, 2025 · The issue is that when connected to VPN, only a small subset of folders appear in a network drive. GPO setup for drive mapping and folder redirection of documents folder. Aug 15, 2025 · If your File Explorer crashes or freezes while accessing Mapped Network Drives in Windows 11/10, then take a look at these working fixes. I have also verified my credentials are correct. If the index is corrupted or still rebuilding, opening can stall. The problem is when the user clicks on this one particular mapping (call it J:) in File Explorer, it is very slow to load (sometimes longer than 4 minutes) whether he is in the office or on VPN. Dec 15, 2023 · Is the File Explorer opening very slowly? Is it the all the items in the File Explorer taking too much time to load? If it is, there might be an issue with the corrupted index of the File Explorer database. This problem is confirmed to occur on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Win 10 Pro, Version 10. If they try to open a file from inside a program like Word or Outlook, it will freeze before even getting the "open file" window. May 6, 2022 · I use group policy for my network drive mappings. In a Windows file server environment, the server’s setting determines how quickly it drops inactive SMB sessions. All drives mapped drives are visible in file explorer when in the office. 8-h5 and it seemed to have resovled this issue. On the Windows 11 machine, I have always had decent (not great, but workable) VPN download speeds (~10Mbps). Nov 22, 2022 · Well I'm in over my head. We have about 8 mapped drives. So what I'm looking for is a way to copy a large file that supports resuming if the connection fails. A tiny PDF only 40-50 KB in size, can take anywhere from 20-50 seconds before opening. We have a fiber backbone at our office. Nov 6, 2020 · But our issue is this: When accessing the share using file explorer in Windows 10 (still via VPN and local IP) the transfer speed appears to max out at around 25MB/s. Since there are so many different things that can slow down in File Explorer, you will find a variety of different fixes. Includes 24H2 specific fixes and advanced troubleshooting methods. On my Windows 10 gaming PC, File Explorer usually launches with a slight 2 days ago · Microsoft has finally acknowledged that File Explorer in Windows 11 is quite slow, and is implementing a workaround to fix the issue. 1. all fine. For example, I tried opening a document in the Downloads folder. Jan 12, 2022 · Hi all, I have one user where every 3 months or so they are unable to access the folders on a network drive, it shows only the one folder they have been in and they’re unable to access anything else. Attached a video for reference, please help! Jun 13, 2025 · Is your File Explorer sluggish after installing the Windows 11 24H2 update? The file is not open, the user has full permissions over the folder and all files, I can copy the file, move, rename, delete, create again, but it just doesn't want to transfer to these 2 specific clients. Jul 2, 2020 · Hello everyone, I’m have some problems mapping company network drives using the correct DFS path and credentials. On a May 16, 2022 · To export VPN connections, copy the Pbk folder on Windows 10, and to import the settings replace the Pbk folder in the destination device. The latency between the client and the site is slow. Feb 4, 2023 · Fixes an issue in which Office is slow when you open files from network location. For example, you may experience this issue when you open a Microsoft Office document over a slow connection, such as a 64-kilobits-per-second (kbps) Integrated Services Digital Jul 31, 2021 · On the Windows 10 machine, VPN speeds are consistent and reliable. Mar 8, 2025 · Method 2: Modifying the File Server’s Autodisconnect Setting If you have control over the file server hosting your network drives, you might also adjust the server’s own autodisconnect timeout. My thought is that it's trying to find the files that are located on the server but can't connect due to not having the VPN tunnel and gets confused. Oct 17, 2024 · Users who installed Windows 11 24H2 complain that they experienced extremely slow read and write speeds over the SMB protocol. For organizations and home users alike, the reliability of mapped network drives can make or break productivity. 4 Our VPN users experience very slow file transfers (50MB can take 20 minutes with a 20Mbps FiOS connection on each side). Any kind of Active Directory administration tool like Active Directory Users and Computers, DNS, DHCP, Active Directory Administrative Center, Active Directory Sites and Services, Group Policy Management, etc is VERY slow over the VPN. Windows File Explorer Sep 2, 2020 · Desired Solution: I'm looking for a batch or cmd file that can run to refresh or reconnect the drives, without explicitly using NET USE if possible (more on why further down) or opening a file explorer by using a batch file to open a shortcut to a network folder. There are lots and lots of programs that can do this 10x better, so there's no point in using Windows Explorer. Also, I usually uncheck the “show recent files in quick access” radio button. Basically, windows explorer hangs up and is stuck, if it does respond it takes several minutes and is very slow. File browsing is slow, taking about 3-4 seconds to bring up a list Jul 27, 2023 · Many Windows users are experiencing slow file transfer speeds when trying to move a file between two internal drives, between two PCs (over the network) or between one external drive and one internal drive. After my test, I deleted the test file share Whenever a user opens a folder on the shared drive, it's extremely slow and crashes Explorer. Only the synced Dec 15, 2023 · Is the File Explorer opening very slowly? Is it the all the items in the File Explorer taking too much time to load? If it is, there might be an issue with the corrupted index of the File Explorer database. I only want the Oct 3, 2024 · Learn how to Map Network Drive Over VPN Windows 10 to securely access organizational files remotely. I installed wireshark on my test PC - I connected to the VPN - selected the appropriate ethernet interface in wireshark and began capture. Some users are experiencing really slow speeds in opening Excel, Word, PDF files while they are accessing their Mapped Drives over the VPN. Here are some apps that make the transition a little easier. If you save a file on the desktop and open that while connected to the VPN, do you have the same speed issue? What speed is the internet connection (Down/up) on the problem sites? I have recently built a computer for a small business that is running Windows Server 2019, and configured a VPN through RRAS to allow users to access files from home. We want to access some folders and files on the Remote Windows Server from the Windows PC through the VPN connection. The VPN connection is not used for a internet connection just for file browsing. whenever I save a picture, delete one, upload one, move, etc. Jan 12, 2021 · My stack: latest windows 10, OpenVPN client 2. Fix: Rebuild the index (Control Panel → Indexing Options → Advanced → Rebuild). If they open File Explorer in Windows 10, it will say "working on it" for a long time before displaying any folders and files, if ever. Everything "works", but accessing shared files/folders is incredibly slow - like 200 kbps slow. The Drives are mapped out via GPO. Jan 10, 2025 · OneDrive Very Slow to Open Files in Explorer [Fix] Microsoft OneDrive is a powerful cloud storage service that allows users to store, sync, and share files seamlessly across multiple devices. Server is 2019. I have some users who work remote with the Palo Alto Global Protect VPN client that report to me that when they are connected to the VPN, their computers are really slow. May 16, 2023 · Microsoft is investigating major speed issues affecting L2TP/IPsec VPN connections after installing recent Windows 11 updates. 18363 | v 1909. The main reasons are Jun 28, 2023 · Microsoft has addressed a known issue causing File Explorer to freeze on Windows 11 and Windows Server systems after viewing a file's effective access permissions. I am having real troubles with a VPN connection. The main location has a 120/10 connection. Sep 26, 2022 · I realise I've used slow, which doesn't really mean anything but as a comparison. The drives map both inside the office and over the VPN when outside the office, however, when you are on the VPN outside the office not all drives are visible in file explorer even though they are mapped. If it does happen to slow down, there is usually an easy way to fix it. It can handle exceptionally complex file directories and lots of files. Windows 10 File Explorer lag that is driving me absolutely insane. . Is there some way to tweak May 24, 2023 · Hi All, I’m at a bit of a loss as to how to fix this issue, we have a roster of working from home a couple days a week. Any suggestions help, Oct 30, 2019 · Greetings! I have a client for which a single user experiences severe lag when opening PDFs from a particular network drive. Jan 9, 2024 · Hoping someone might have encountered this or have some suggestions. To connect to a file share remotely over VPN on a Microsoft Windows computer, follow the following steps. Has anyone else had this… Mar 11, 2025 · Slow File Explorer performance can be as frustrating as a traffic jam on your daily commute—especially when you need to access files quickly to get work done. May 22, 2023 · The latest windows 11's update (KB5026372), released on 2023/05/09, is slowing down our internal (windows built-in) VPN connection to a point that it's impossible to work. Nov 9, 2024 · When File Explorer fails to load or loads slowly after a Windows 10 upgrade, it usually displays a green loading bar at the top, leaving users waiting and unable to access their files. Jul 17, 2024 · Is it taking forever to open files and folders? If Windows Explorer is loading slowly, here are seven ways to fix the issue. Jul 25, 2022 · Windows File Explorer is a file management tool in Windows that offers a variety of operations on your files and folders. But if the user connects to the VPN (which connects to an Azure virtual firewall), the problem clears up instantly. Slow Transfer Speeds on Dec 4, 2018 · Background: For a year I have been living with slow Windows 10 access times for folders over local network. Simplify data access and enhance remote work productivity. Again, after disconnecting from the VPN speed immediately raise up back to normal. his job is to review images and look for any issues. Is there anyway to improve this? 3 days ago · Posting this because it cost me 2. Copying the same file over the vpn can take 40-50 seconds. Aug 28, 2023 · Storage & SAN windows-server , file-sharing , windows-10 , question 3 1420 September 4, 2020 Weird Network File Problem Software & Applications general-windows , windows-server , question 9 165 August 22, 2011 Office 2003 slow to open file list for one user Software & Applications discussion , microsoft-office 6 54 September 17, 2013 A couple of things to consider based on my experience with slightly older systems: Depending on the age of the NAS, it may be defaulting to SMB version 1. If your using regular home broadband with a 10Mb download speed you will only get this speed (about 1024Kb/s or 1. Oct 25, 2025 · New Files in the Shared Folder are Not Showing Up For example, if a user creates a new file in a network folder (via a UNC path or on a mapped network drive), it will appear in the folder after a delay of 3–4 minutes, even if the folder contents are refreshed manually in File Explorer using the F5 key. Just follow these fixes to solve the problem. Dec 31, 2021 · Current scenario: folders (documents , desktop, app data roaming ) are directed to on-premises server users are working from home connecting through VPN. Procedure INFO: The steps outlined below reflect the Windows 10 operating system. We connect to the sever via a VPN and use a mapped drive to access the files on the server. Jul 9, 2025 · When you try to open or save a DWG or DXF file in AutoCAD through a VPN connection, the program takes a long time, hangs or freezes. A user reported that while using specialized software to restore data from a WDMyCloud NAS, he experienced a very slow data transfer rate. 7, network drive on windows 2019 datacenter. VPN is working fine in my old laptop with older version of windows. Jul 23, 2025 · 1. Rebuild thumbnail cache. I then navigated to a folder on the network share using windows explorer and opened a test word document. hi, we have a remote end user who is based in the mid-west and is complaining of slowness over the VPN (we're in LA). exe after that, or it hangs in the "Not Responding" state. Oddly enough if lets say I have a document or spreadsheet open and I do “save as” all the drives show up and are 3 days ago · Posting this because it cost me 2. 222. More suggestions here! Nov 29, 2024 · What if you encounter OneDrive slow in File Explorer? This post shows you four methods to fix the problem. But I find difficulty to use since its slow. Jun 14, 2025 · Sometimes Windows 11/10 becomes slow while saving the files and Save As dialog box appears late. You may encounter various issues with Windows Explorer. Nov 15, 2015 · Downloading over VPN is dependant on the connecting speed of the guests network. Apr 2, 2020 · I have had complaints that now that everyone is working from home their computers are slow when not connected to the vpn. If the PDF is opened in Microsoft Edge or in Chrome by right-clicking and choosing “open with”, the same Feb 14, 2023 · At some point, all the laptops in the company start facing an issue where their File Explorer starts working really slow. However, many users have reported experiencing slow file access when opening OneDrive files in Windows File Explorer. Please help me on how to resolve this speed issue as early as possible. Works perfect when local to the network. Apr 26, 2025 · Few experiences disrupt a Windows user’s daily workflow quite like getting stuck at login, watching the File Explorer freeze, or waiting endlessly for network drives to reconnect. This behavior is present while in the office or with a VPN from their home network. This makes the offline folders useful only in the rare cases when an user is out of the office for very short periods. Nov 16, 2025 · Chances are, you're not making the switch to Windows 11 because you're excited about the new OS. But Windows seems to want to always look for those drives even when I'm not connected to the VPN, to the extent where it'll hang file explorer when I'm trying to access even local files. Our settings have remained the same it's the OS that is different. When he makes a change and clicks Save, the VPN will disconnect after about 15 seconds and the file cannot save. It seems to be a Windows Explorer issue, like when you open Explorer the green progress bar takes a while to finish, or Open/Save dialog boxes take a long time to load, or opening files take a long time too. If you are experiencing the same issue at your end, there are a few quick fixes to solve the problem on your computer. Dec 27, 2023 · Since moving to Windows 11, we're having issues with mapped drives and the time it takes to open files and folders. 2MB/s -maximum) but this is also dependant on the businesses upload speed, the connection of your business internet. This basically works very well. If the file is transferred over HTTP or FTP, it's just as fast as you expect Nov 6, 2020 · When accessing the share using file explorer in Windows 10 (still via VPN and local IP) the transfer speed appears to max out at around 25MB/s. Thoughts? Jul 15, 2025 · Using a VPN can cut your internet speeds in half, which might affect your streaming or gaming sessions. After my test, I deleted the test file share Dec 19, 2016 · There is a 32GB SQL Server data file we are copying on our local machine from a network folder that we connect to it through the same VPN too. And I'm not talking about Word/Excel, which opens locally synced OD files slow (office Apps check the file online for recent updates, and it's OK). This aims to eliminate delays and make the interface load instantly Jun 25, 2018 · We have several windows 10 machines here that are almost unusable when they are not connected to our domain network. When I'm not connected to the VPN, Windows File explorer freezes and stops responding. 0. The Windows servers and OpenVPN appliance all run on a VMware ESXi 6. I use a VPN to connect to my school's PDM server from my desktop at home. 4. Hop on this article to find out the causes and the best solutions to fix it. In the screenshot below, you can see that the configured QoS policy slow the network file transfer rate on Windows. I realize this is because windows attempts to connect to the VPN share drive, but waits incredibly long before timing out. I stopped the capture and then I filtered the wireshark capture for Oct 3, 2024 · Learn how to Map Network Drive Over VPN Windows 10 to securely access organizational files remotely. Check: In Control Panel → Indexing Options, see if indexing is paused, stuck, or covering too many network/cloud paths. File Explorer, in particular, became slower compared to its Windows 10 iteration. We did a full work from home test a few weeks ago before all this happened and we did Aug 20, 2023 · The Windows File Explorer is a great tool, but it also has its drawbacks. It took him 2 hours to copy it, it took me 13 hours to copy it. For instance, it may freeze when you open any folder or act sluggish while using the copy-paste feature. Mar 20, 2025 · I have a user that when connecting remotely over VPN she only sees one folder in her mapped network drive. For example, this program often responds slowly when you use it to open or copy files. I use Explorer or TotalCommander. If the issue occurs more often, try these fixes. ftbrp ddbhhts veq nfovs ifepco rawkyor ckdfoz pzwhpz heox wirzno vyzzff vjvr hllerv pdu lytxuv