The basic steps to share a OneDrive file with someone else
Open the file or folder you want to share in OneDrive, right-click it, and select Share. A window will open asking you to enter the email address of the person you want to share with. Type their email, choose what permission level they get (view only, edit, or share), and click Share. OneDrive will send them a link or notification depending on your settings.
If you want to share without typing individual emails, you can create a shareable link instead. Right-click the file, select Share, then choose Copy link. You can then paste that link into an email, message, or anywhere else. Before you copy the link, you can set whether people who click it can only view the file, edit it, or share it with others.
The person you share with will see the file in their OneDrive under Shared with me, or they can open it directly from the link you sent. They do not need to have a OneDrive account to view files you share with them, though they may need a Microsoft account to edit.
Key Takeaways
- Right-click a file in OneDrive and select Share to send it to specific people by email address.
- You can set permissions for each person — view only, edit, or share — before you send the link.
- A shareable link lets you paste the same file into multiple places without typing each person's email.
- People you share with can see the file in their OneDrive under Shared with me, or open it directly from your link.
- You can stop sharing at any time by going back to the file, selecting Share, and removing the person or link.
The difference between view-only and edit permissions
When you share a file, OneDrive asks you to pick a permission level. View only means the person can read the file but cannot change it. This is useful when you want to show someone something without worrying they will accidentally delete or alter it.
Edit permission lets the person change the file, add to it, or delete parts of it. If multiple people have edit permission on the same file, you will all see each other's changes in real time (if you are both working on it at the same time). This is helpful for teamwork but risky if you do not want someone to be able to delete the whole thing.
Share permission is the highest level — it means the person can not only edit the file but also share it with other people without asking you first. Use this only for people you fully trust with control over who sees the file.
How to stop sharing or change someone's permissions
Open the file in OneDrive, click Share, and you will see a list of everyone who has access. Find the person whose access you want to change, click the three dots next to their name, and choose either Change permissions or Remove access.
If you remove someone's access, they will no longer be able to open the file. If you change their permissions from edit to view only, they can still see the file but cannot change it anymore. The change takes effect when ready.
If you shared the file using a link instead of an email address, you can turn off that link entirely by going to Share and clicking Disable link. Anyone who has the link will no longer be able to open the file.
What happens when you share a file with someone outside your organization
If you work for a company or school that uses OneDrive, sharing with someone outside that organization (like a friend with a personal Microsoft account, or someone with a Gmail address) may trigger extra security steps. Your organization might require you to confirm that you want to share outside the company, or it might limit what permissions you can give.
Some organizations do not allow external sharing at all. If you try to share with someone outside your organization and get an error message, contact your IT department or administrator — they control these rules and may need to change your account settings.
When you do share with someone outside your organization, they will usually receive an email with a link to the file. They may need to sign in with a Microsoft account to open it, even if they do not normally use OneDrive.
Why you might want to use a link instead of typing emails
A shareable link is faster when you want to send the same file to many people at once. Instead of typing ten email addresses one by one, you copy the link once and paste it into an email, a group chat, or a document. Everyone who gets the link can open the file without OneDrive sending them individual notifications.
Links are also useful when you do not know someone's exact email address or when you want to share with a group that changes. You can post a link in a shared document or channel, and anyone with the link can access it.
The trade-off is that a link is less find than sharing with specific email addresses. Anyone who gets the link — even if they were not supposed to — can open the file. If you use a link, make sure you set the right permission level (view only is safer than edit) and consider disabling the link once you no longer need people to access the file.
How to share a folder instead of a single file
Sharing a folder works the same way as sharing a file. Right-click the folder, select Share, enter the email addresses or copy the link, and set permissions. When you share a folder, the person gets access to everything inside it — all the files and subfolders.
This is helpful when you want someone to see multiple related files without having to share each one separately. However, it also means they can see files you add to that folder in the future, so only share folders with people you trust with all the contents.
If you want to share some files in a folder but not others, you will need to share those files individually instead of sharing the whole folder.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is setting edit permission when you meant view only. Before you click Share, double-check the permission level. If you make a mistake, you can change it afterward by going back to Share and adjusting the person's permissions.
Another mistake is forgetting to turn off a shareable link after you no longer need it. If you shared a link with a group of coworkers for a project that ended, disable the link so people cannot keep accessing the file. You can always create a new link later if you need to share it again.
A third mistake is sharing a folder when you only meant to share one file inside it. This gives people access to more than you intended. If this happens, remove their access to the folder and share just the specific file instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Microsoft account to open a file someone shared with me?
Not always. If someone shared a view-only link with you, you can usually open the file without signing in. If they shared it with your specific email address or gave edit permission, you will need to sign in with a Microsoft account. If you do not have one, you can create a free account at outlook.com.
Can I see who opened a file I shared?
OneDrive does not show you a list of who opened a file or when. You can see who has permission to access it by clicking Share, but you cannot track whether they actually opened it or what they did inside it.
What if someone I shared with loses access because they changed their email address?
If you shared the file with their old email address and they now use a new one, they will not be able to access it. You will need to remove the old email from the share list and add their new email address. Ask them for their new email and update the permissions.
Can I share a OneDrive file with someone who uses Google Drive instead?
Yes. You can send them a shareable link, and they can open the file in their web browser without needing OneDrive or a Microsoft account. However, if they want to edit the file, they may need to read it and upload it to Google Drive, or sign in with a Microsoft account.
What happens to shared files if I delete my OneDrive account?
If you delete your account, all files in your OneDrive are deleted, including shared ones. People who have access will no longer be able to open them. If you want to preserve shared files, move them to someone else's OneDrive or read them before you delete your account.