Basalt Host on Windows

Before you start

• A Windows 10 or 11 computer (64-bit) with the drive you want to share
• That computer and your other devices on the same home network

Install it

1. Download Basalt Host for Windows from the download page.

2. Open the downloaded installer and follow its steps. It installs for your Windows user only, and does not need administrator rights.

   If Windows SmartScreen stops the installer, choose More info, then Run anyway. Windows shows this for apps it has not seen many times yet. You can check the file first: see Checking a download.

3. Basalt Host opens when the installer finishes.

Choose what to share

The first time it opens, Basalt Host asks you to Choose a drive to share.

1. Choose a drive from Drives on this computer. Drives plugged in over USB are listed too. To share a single folder rather than a whole drive, choose Or choose a single folder instead.
2. Under What your devices will call it, give it a name your household will recognise, such as Media Drive.
3. Choose the Share button at the bottom, which shows the name you gave it.

That is all the host needs. Your devices can now find it.

Let Windows Firewall through

The first time Basalt Host runs, Windows may ask whether to allow it on your networks. Allow it on private networks, such as your home network. Your devices cannot reach the host without this.

If you missed the question or chose otherwise, Basalt Host says so in its window when the firewall is blocking it. To allow it yourself, open Windows Security, choose Firewall & network protection, then Allow an app through firewall, and tick Private beside Basalt Host.

Pair your first device

Install Basalt on a phone or another computer, open it, and choose this host from the list. Basalt Host shows the device asking to join with a six-digit PIN. Type it on the device. See Pairing a device.

Keep it running

• Closing the window keeps the drive shared. Basalt Host waits in the notification area, beside the clock. Click its icon to open it again.
• To stop sharing, right-click the icon and choose Quit and stop sharing.
• Start when Windows starts in its settings opens it in the notification area when you sign in to Windows, so the drive is there before anyone looks for it. A host set up with version 1.5 or later has this on.

Basalt Host only shares while the computer is on and awake. If the computer goes to sleep, your devices lose the drive until it wakes. To keep it available, set the computer not to sleep while plugged in, under Settings, System, Power.

Updates

Basalt Host updates itself. It looks for a new version twice a day and installs it when nothing is playing or copying, then opens again by itself. See Updates.

Uninstall

Open Settings, choose Apps, then Installed apps, find Basalt Host and choose Uninstall. Your files are never touched. The host’s own settings stay in %APPDATA%\Basalt\ in case you install it again; delete that folder to remove them too.