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How to Map a Network Drive at Windows Startup Using a Script

· 2 min read
Luke Murray
Luke Murray
Author

If you regularly access a shared folder on your network, you can create a simple batch script that runs at startup to automatically map the network drive. This saves you from having to manually reconnect the drive each time you log in.

The script​

Create a new text file with a .bat extension (for example, MapDrive.bat) and add the following:

@echo off
cls
net use z: /delete /y
net use z: "\\192.168.1.1\share" /y

What the script does​

  • @echo off — Hides the command output from the console window.
  • cls — Clears the screen.
  • net use z: /delete /y — Disconnects drive letter Z if it is already in use, without prompting for confirmation.
  • net use z: "\\192.168.1.1\share" /y — Maps the network share at \\192.168.1.1\share to drive letter Z:.

Note: Z is the drive letter used in this example. You can change it to any available letter that is not already in use.

How to run the script at startup​

  1. Press Win + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter. This opens the Windows Startup folder.
  2. Copy your .bat file into this folder.
  3. The script will now run automatically every time you log in.

Alternatively, you can set the script as a Group Policy logon script if you need to deploy it across multiple machines in a domain environment.