How do I disconnect from the server in Windows 11?

Disconnecting from a server in Windows 11 primarily involves ending a network connection, which typically means unmapping a network drive or closing a Remote Desktop session.

Quick Ways to Disconnect

Whether you're finishing up work on a shared network folder or closing a remote access session, Windows 11 provides several straightforward methods to disconnect. The approach depends on the type of server connection you've established:

• Mapped Network Drives: For connections to shared folders on a file server.
• Remote Desktop Sessions: For interactive sessions with a remote computer or server.

Disconnecting Mapped Network Drives

Mapped network drives provide convenient access to shared folders on a network by assigning them a local drive letter (like Z: or Y:). When you no longer need access, it's good practice to disconnect these drives.

Method 1: Using File Explorer (Graphical Interface)

This is the most common and user-friendly method for disconnecting mapped network drives.

1. Open File Explorer: Click the File Explorer icon on your taskbar or press Win + E.
2. Navigate to This PC: In the left-hand navigation pane, select This PC.
3. Identify the Drive: Under "Network locations," you'll see all your mapped drives.
4. Disconnect the Drive:
   • Right-click on the specific network drive you wish to disconnect.
   • Select Disconnect.

The drive will immediately disappear from "Network locations" in File Explorer, indicating a successful disconnection.

Method 2: Using Command Prompt (Advanced)

For users comfortable with command-line interfaces or needing to script disconnections, Command Prompt offers a powerful alternative. This method is particularly useful for quickly managing multiple connections or when the graphical interface is unavailable.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

   • Click the Start button.
   • Type cmd in the search bar.
   • Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select Run as administrator.
   • Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.

2. View Current Mapped Drives:

   • In the Command Prompt window, type net use and press Enter.
   • This command lists all active network connections, including mapped drives, their drive letters, and the network path they point to.

3. Identify the Drive Letter: From the list, find the network location you want to disconnect and note the drive letter assigned to it (e.g., Z:).

4. Disconnect the Network Location:

   • Type net use [drive letter] /delete (replace [drive letter] with the actual letter, e.g., Z:).
   • Press Enter.

   Example: To disconnect a mapped drive assigned to Z:, you would type:
   net use Z: /delete

   You will receive a confirmation message stating "The command completed successfully." upon successful disconnection.

Disconnecting from Remote Desktop Sessions

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) allows you to connect to and control a server or another Windows PC remotely. Disconnecting can mean simply pausing your session or completely signing out.

Method 1: Within the Remote Session

This method is performed while you are actively connected to the remote desktop.

1. Disconnecting (Leaving Session Active):
   • Simply close the Remote Desktop Connection window by clicking the X button in the top-right corner.
   • This will disconnect your view, but your session and any running applications on the remote server will remain active. You can reconnect later to resume where you left off.
2. Signing Out (Ending Session Completely):
   • Click the Start button within the remote desktop session.
   • Click on your User icon (or power icon) in the Start menu.
   • Select Sign out.
   • This will terminate your session on the server, close all open applications, and log you off.

Method 2: From Your Local PC (Client Side)

If you need to disconnect an RDP session from your local machine without actively being in the remote session, you can:

1. Close the Remote Desktop Client: If the RDP window is still open on your local desktop, simply close it using the 'X' button. This disconnects your view, but your session remains active on the server.
2. Using Task Manager (for your own active RDP session from the same machine): While not a direct way to disconnect a remote server connection for someone else, you can use Task Manager on your local PC to end the mstsc.exe process if the RDP client is frozen. This will forcibly disconnect your local RDP client from the remote session.
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
   • Go to the Processes tab.
   • Find Remote Desktop Connection (or mstsc.exe).
   • Right-click it and select End task.

Quick Reference Table for Disconnection Methods

Method	Scenario	Key Action
File Explorer	Mapped Network Drives (Graphical)	Right-click drive in "This PC," select "Disconnect."
Command Prompt	Mapped Network Drives (Command-line)	net use [drive letter] /delete (Run as administrator).
RDP Session (X-button)	Remote Desktop (Disconnect, keep session active)	Click 'X' on RDP window (within the session or from client).
RDP Session (Sign Out)	Remote Desktop (End session completely)	Start > User Icon > "Sign out" (within the remote session).

Important Considerations

• Disconnect vs. Sign Out (RDP): Understand the difference. "Disconnecting" keeps your applications running on the remote server, allowing you to resume later. "Signing out" closes everything and logs you off.
• Persistent Mapped Drives: Some mapped drives are configured to reconnect automatically on sign-in. Disconnecting them through the methods above will break the current connection, but they might reappear after a restart if the "Reconnect at sign-in" option was enabled during mapping. To permanently remove a persistent mapping, you must delete it.
• Open Files: If you have files open from a mapped network drive, you might receive a warning when trying to disconnect. Close all files and programs accessing the drive before attempting to disconnect.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you encounter issues disconnecting:

• Close All Files: Ensure no applications are actively using files from the network drive.
• Check Permissions: Occasionally, permission issues can interfere. Restarting your local machine might clear transient problems.
• Restart Computer: As a last resort, restarting your Windows 11 PC can often resolve persistent network connection issues.