The simplest way to share an Excel file

To make an Excel file shared, save it to a cloud storage service like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, then send other people a link with permission to edit. This is faster and more reliable than the older "shared workbook" feature that came built into Excel itself.

The cloud approach works because the file lives in one place that everyone accesses together, rather than multiple people emailing copies back and forth. When one person makes a change, everyone else sees it within seconds. There is no confusion about which version is the "real" one.

If you are already using Microsoft 365 (the subscription version of Office), OneDrive is already part of your account. If you use Google Sheets instead of Excel, the sharing process is nearly identical. If you use the desktop version of Excel without a subscription, you can still upload files to OneDrive or Google Drive to share them.

Key Takeaways

  • The easiest way to share an Excel file is to save it to OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox and send others a link with edit permission.
  • Cloud sharing is more reliable than Excel's built-in shared workbook feature because everyone works from one file instead of emailing copies.
  • You control who can see the file and whether they can edit it, view only, or comment by adjusting the link settings.
  • If multiple people edit the file at the same time, Excel shows you who is working on it and prevents accidental overwrites.

Sharing through OneDrive (Microsoft 365)

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, your OneDrive account is already set up. Open your Excel file in Excel Online (the web version) or the desktop app, then click the Share button in the top right corner. A panel will open asking you to enter email addresses or create a shareable link.

Type the email addresses of the people you want to share with, separated by commas. Before you click Send, choose whether they can Edit or just View the file. If you want them to suggest changes without directly editing, choose Review. Then click Send — they will get an email with a link to the file.

If you want to share with people outside your organization or do not have their email addresses, click Copy link instead. This creates a shareable URL you can paste into a message, Slack, or anywhere else. You can set that link to allow editing, viewing only, or reviewing before you copy it.

Sharing through Google Drive (Google Sheets)

If you use Google Sheets (Google's version of Excel), the process is almost identical. Open the file, click the blue Share button in the top right, and type email addresses or create a link the same way. Google Sheets is free and works in any web browser, so this is a good option if you do not have a Microsoft 365 subscription.

One advantage of Google Sheets is that you can see exactly who is editing the file right now — their cursor appears in a different color, and you can see their name in the top right corner. This makes it obvious when someone else is making changes, so you do not accidentally overwrite their work.

Sharing through Dropbox or other cloud storage

If your file is already in Dropbox, Box, or another cloud storage service, right-click the file and look for a Share option. This will let you create a shareable link or invite specific people. The file stays in one place, and anyone with the link can open it in Excel or Google Sheets.

One thing to watch: if you share a Dropbox link and someone downloads the file to edit it, they are working on a copy, not the original. Changes they make will not automatically sync back to Dropbox. For true real-time collaboration, use OneDrive or Google Drive instead.

The older "shared workbook" feature and why you probably should not use it

Excel has a built-in feature called Share Workbook that lets multiple people edit the same file at once without cloud storage. To use it, save the file somewhere everyone can access (like a network drive), then go to Review tab and click Share Workbook. However, this feature has serious limitations and Microsoft no longer recommends it.

The main problem is that shared workbooks cannot use many modern Excel features — you cannot create pivot tables, add charts, or use certain formulas. If two people make conflicting changes, Excel forces you to choose one version or the other, which means someone loses work. Cloud sharing avoids all of these problems.

The only reason to use Share Workbook today is if your organization requires files to stay on a local network drive and does not allow cloud storage. Even then, it is worth asking your IT department whether you can use OneDrive or SharePoint instead.

Controlling who can see and edit your file

When you share a file, you decide what each person can do with it. Edit permission means they can change the contents, add rows, delete columns, or do anything else. View permission means they can open and read the file but cannot change it. Review or Comment permission (depending on your platform) means they can suggest changes that you approve before they take effect.

You can also change permissions after you share. If someone no longer needs access, click the Share button again, find their name, and click the X or Remove button next to it. If you shared a link instead of inviting specific people, you can turn off the link entirely so no one can access the file through it anymore.

Be careful with "Anyone with the link can edit" settings — this means anyone who gets the URL can change your file, even if you did not intend to share with them. Use this only for files you do not mind strangers editing, or use "View only" instead.

What happens when multiple people edit at the same time

When you and someone else are both editing the same Excel file in OneDrive or Google Sheets, you will see their name and cursor position in the file. If you both try to edit the same cell at the same time, the person who saves first wins — the other person will see a message asking them to refresh and see the updated version.

This is much safer than the old shared workbook feature, which would force you to choose whose changes to keep. With cloud sharing, you can see what changed and when, and you can undo changes if something goes wrong. Most of the time, people are editing different parts of the file anyway, so conflicts are rare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share an Excel file with someone who does not have Excel installed?

Yes. If you share through OneDrive or Google Drive, they can open and edit the file in a web browser without installing anything. If they have Excel installed, they can open it there instead. Google Sheets works the same way — anyone with the link can edit in a browser.

What if I want to share a file but keep some sheets private?

Cloud sharing does not let you hide individual sheets from specific people — either someone can see the whole file or none of it. If you need to share only certain sheets, create a separate file with just those sheets and share that instead.

Does the person I share with need a Microsoft account or Google account?

If you invite them by email through OneDrive, they need a Microsoft account (free). If you create a link and share it, they do not need an account — they can open it in any browser. Google Drive works the same way. Check your sharing settings to see which option you chose.

What if someone edits the file while I am offline?

Their changes will be saved to the cloud. When you go back online and open the file, you will see their changes automatically. There is no risk of losing work because everything is synced to the cloud, not stored only on your computer.

Can I see a history of who changed what in the file?

OneDrive and Google Drive both keep a version history. In OneDrive, click File then Info and look for Version history. In Google Sheets, click File then Version history. You can see who made each change and when, and you can restore an older version if needed.