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Microsoft 365 File Sharing

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What this article does:

Shows faculty, staff, and students how to share files and folders using OneDrive and SharePoint—fast—and how to manage access securely.

Please Note:

There are multiple ways to share files and folders in M365. The most direct methods are presented in this article. Users may find alternate methods that work better in their respective workflows.

1. Quick Start (Fast Path) 🚀

For users who want results right away.

👉 Expected result: “Recipients can open the file/folder with the permissions you set. You’ll see the link listed under Manage access.”

👉 Stuck? Jump to the Step-by-Step Tutorial or the Troubleshooting & FAQ.

Expand or collapse content 2. Step-by-Step (Detailed Path) 📝

2.1. Preparation

  • Sign in: https://m365.cloud.microsoft/ or https://ciaart-my.sharepoint.com/
  • Decide location:
    • OneDrive = personal work, drafts, items you own. (OneDrive folders and files)
    • SharePoint/Teams = departments, committees, student groups. (Teams folders and files)
  • Permissions you may see:
    • Link scope: Specific people, People in your org, Anyone with the link at CIA, People with existing access.
    • Rights: Can view, Can edit, Block download (for view-only), and for Word files, sometimes Open in review mode.
  • Request Guest account for external sharing, with specific people for specific purposes, at support.cia.edu (Requests require review and approval)
    • Include Guest Name
    • Guest Email
    • Reason for Guest access

2.2. Where to click

A) From OneDrive on the web

  1. Go to Microsoft 365 ➜ OneDrive.
  2. Select a file or folder ➜ click Share.

B) From SharePoint (or Teams files)

  1. Open the SharePoint site (or go to a Teams channel ➜ Files).
  2. Select the file or folder ➜ click Share.

C) From desktop Office apps (quick-share)

  1. In Word/Excel/PowerPoint ➜ Share (top-right).
  2. Confirm the file is saved to OneDrive/SharePoint ➜ choose recipients and permissions.
  1. Choose link type (click the link settings text under “Send link”):
    • Specific people (recommended): Only the people you name can open.
    • People in your organization: Anyone in your tenant with the link.
    • Anyone with the link: No sign-in required (if allowed by policy).
    • People with existing access: Doesn’t change permissions—just gives a URL.
  2. Set permissions:
    • Can edit: Recipients can modify contents.
    • Can view: Read-only.
    • Block download (view-only): Prevents easy downloads; recipients can still screenshot.
    • Open in review mode (Word only, if available): Comments/track changes without full edit.
  3. (Optional) Add safeguards:
    • Expiration date (if available): Make access temporary, e.g., guest reviewers.
    • Allow editing toggle off for read-only links (OneDrive/SharePoint web).
  4. Send or copy link:
    • Enter names/emails ➜ Send, or Copy link and paste into email, Teams, or your LMS.

2.4. Verification (Make sure it worked)

  1. Select the item ➜ Manage access.
  2. Check Links: Confirm the link you created (scope & permission).
  3. Check Direct Access: See individuals/groups with direct permission.
  4. (Optional) Test as a recipient:
    • Send the link to a colleague or a personal test account.
    • Open in a private/incognito window to simulate an external user.

👉 Success indicators:

  • The Manage access panel shows the link and recipients as expected.
  • Test recipient can open and sees the correct view/edit behavior.
  • Version History records edits (if editing was allowed).
Expand or collapse content 3. Conceptual Overview (Mental Model) 🧠
  • OneDrive vs. SharePoint
    • OneDrive is your work-in-progress backpack (you own the files).
    • SharePoint is the team room (the group owns the files). If you leave, team access remains—so collaboration is safer here.
  • Links vs. Direct Access
    • Link sharing creates a reusable URL tied to a scope (Specific people, Organization, Anyone).
    • Direct Access grants a person or group explicit permission to the item, independent of any link.
  • Least privilege principle
    • Prefer Specific people and view-only unless editing is needed.
    • Add expiration for guests. Review and prune access periodically.
  • Co-authoring & safety nets
    • Office files support real-time co-authoring.
    • Version history lets you restore earlier versions if something goes wrong.
  • External sharing flow
    • External users typically verify via sign-in or a one-time passcode sent to their email.
    • Your institution can disable or limit external sharing per site.
Expand or collapse content 4. Reference (Lookup) 📑
Link Type Who Can Open Typical Uses Notes
Specific people Only named recipients Student submissions to instructor, committee reviews, vendor/guest access Most secure & auditable
People in your organization Anyone signed in to your tenant Campus-wide announcements, shared templates Can be forwarded internally
Anyone with the link Anyone with the URL Public resources, event materials Often disabled in edu tenants
People with existing access Already-permitted users Share a URL without changing permissions No new access granted

4.2. Permissions & Options

  • Can edit ➜ co-authoring, upload to folders, rename/move within library (depending on library rules).
  • Can view ➜ read-only.
  • Block download (view-only) ➜ forces web-viewer when possible; cannot prevent screenshots.
  • Open in review mode (Word) ➜ comments/track changes without full edit (if enabled).

4.3. Where to Share From (Common Paths)

  • OneDrive web ➜ Select item ➜ Share.
  • SharePoint library / Teams Files ➜ Select item ➜ Share.
  • Office desktop app ➜ File saved to cloud ➜ Share.
  • Teams chat ➜ Attach ➜ OneDrive or Upload from my computer ➜ adjust link permissions inline.

4.4. Useful Limits (FYI)

  • Max file size: up to 250 GB for OneDrive/SharePoint.
  • Path length: up to 400 characters.
  • Version history: typically 500+ versions (admin-configurable).
  • External sharing: tenant/site policy-controlled; “Anyone” links may be disabled.
Expand or collapse content 5. Troubleshooting & FAQ 🔧

Q1: Recipient sees “You need permission.”

  • Cause:
    Wrong link scope; shared to different email than they’re signed in with; link expired.
  • Fix:
    Re-share using Specific people to the exact email they’ll use; remove old links in Manage access; extend expiration if needed.

Q2: “Anyone with the link” isn’t available.

  • Cause:
    Disabled by tenant or site policy.
  • Fix:
    Use Specific people or People in your organization; contact IT if public sharing is required for a specific event.

Q3: External person can’t open the link.

  • Cause:
    External sharing disabled for the site, or one-time passcode blocked by mail filters.
  • Fix:
    Verify the site allows external sharing; have the guest check spam/junk; re-send link using Specific people.

Q4: I shared from OneDrive and now colleagues lost access when I’m away.

  • Cause:
    File lives in your personal OneDrive.
  • Fix:
    Move the file to a SharePoint site (or Teams channel) so the department/group owns it.

Q5: “Block download” isn’t showing.

  • Cause:
    Only appears with view-only links and supported file types in web.
  • Fix:
    Set permission to Can view, then enable Block download.

Q6: File is “locked for editing.”

  • Cause:
    Someone has it open in desktop app, check-out enabled, or required metadata.
  • Fix:
    Ask the user to close/save; check Library settings for Require check-out; complete required columns.

Q7: Students need to submit files privately to an instructor.

  • Best practice:
    Student uses OneDrive ➜ Share ➜ Specific people (instructor) ➜ Can view or Can edit as required.

Q8: Reviewers should comment but not fully edit.

  • Best practice:
    For Word, use Open in review mode link (if available).
    Otherwise use Can view and let reviewers comment in web.

Q9: How do I stop sharing quickly?

  • Action:
    Select item ➜ Manage access ➜ Remove link (for shared links) and/or remove specific people under Direct access.

Q10: Large media/design files won’t send by email.

  • Fix:
    Upload to OneDrive/SharePoint ➜ Share link instead of attachment.
    OneDrive/SharePoint support very large files compared to email limits.
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