What is a workgroup?
A workgroup is the default way Windows computers relate to each other on a small network. There is no domain controller and no central list of users. Each PC stores its own local accounts in its own SAM database and decides for itself who may sign in and who may open its shared folders and printers. Every Windows PC that is not joined to a domain is in a workgroup, and the default workgroup name is WORKGROUP.
How access works in a workgroup
Because there is no shared account database, a person connecting from PC-A to a share on PC-B must authenticate with an account that exists on PC-B. A common small-office shortcut is to create the same user name and password on every PC so connections work without a prompt; the catch is that every password change must then be repeated everywhere. Adding or removing a staff member means touching every computer, which is why workgroups suit only a handful of devices. Client editions of Windows also cap simultaneous inbound file-sharing connections at 20, so a desktop acting as a file server does not scale.
Workgroup vs domain
| Feature | Workgroup | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts | Local accounts on each PC | Central accounts in Active Directory |
| Management | Each PC configured by hand | Group Policy from domain controllers |
| Sign-in | Only on PCs where the account exists | Any domain-joined PC |
| Server needed | No | Yes, at least one domain controller |
| Windows editions | All, including Home | Pro, Pro for Workstations, Enterprise and Education; Home cannot join |
| Typical size | Home or very small office | Businesses of almost any size |
The workgroup name is only a label used to group computers when browsing the network. It is not a security boundary: a PC in workgroup SALES can still open a share on a PC in workgroup ACCOUNTING if it supplies valid credentials. Mismatched names mostly affect how computers appear under Network in File Explorer.
Viewing and changing the workgroup
- Open System Properties with
sysdm.cpl(or Settings > System > About > Domain or workgroup in Windows 11), select the Computer Name tab and click Change. Choose Workgroup and enter a name, or choose Domain to join one. A restart is required. systeminfoshows the workgroup name on its Domain line when the PC is not domain-joined.- PowerShell:
Add-Computer -WorkgroupName SALESorAdd-Computer -DomainName corp.example.com, followed by a restart.
Sharing in a workgroup today
HomeGroup, an older simplified home-sharing feature, was removed in Windows 10 version 1803, so current Windows uses ordinary file and printer sharing in workgroups. For other PCs to see and use shares, set the network to Private rather than Public, and turn on network discovery and file and printer sharing for the Private profile in Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings. Shares are then reached by UNC path, such as \\PC-B\Scans, or through a mapped drive.
Workgroup on the CompTIA A+ exam
Workgroups appear in Core 2 (220-1202) objective 1.3, which compares Windows editions, and objective 1.7, which covers Windows networking such as shares, drive mapping and joining a domain. The key contrasts are decentralized local accounts versus centralized domain accounts, and that Windows Home can be in a workgroup but cannot join a domain. If a scenario describes a small office with a few PCs, no server and separate accounts on each machine, the answer is a workgroup. If it needs central sign-in or Group Policy, the answer is a domain with Pro or higher editions.