How to Share a OneDrive Folder (2026)
Sharing a OneDrive folder gives someone access to everything inside it — and any files you add later — without emailing attachments back and forth. You can control whether they can view or edit, whether they need to sign in, and when access expires. Here’s the full walkthrough.
Share From the Web (OneDrive.com)
The web gives you the most control over permissions.
- Go to OneDrive.com and sign in.
- Hover the folder and click the Share icon (or right-click > Share).
- Click the permissions line at the top of the dialog (it says something like “People you specify can edit”).
- Choose who can access:
- Anyone with the link — no sign-in required (may be disabled by your admin)
- People in [your organization] — anyone signed in to your work/school account
- People with existing access — just gets a link for those already added
- Specific people — only the addresses you enter
- Toggle Can edit off for view-only.
- Type names or email addresses and click Send, or click Copy link to share it yourself.
Share From File Explorer (Windows)
- Open File Explorer and find the folder in your OneDrive.
- Right-click the folder > OneDrive > Share (or just Share on Windows 11).
- The same sharing dialog opens — set permissions, add people, and send.
On Mac, right-click the folder in Finder > Share > Share folder.
Share With External Users (Outside Your Organization)
Work and school accounts can share outside the company if your admin allows it:
- Open the Share dialog and set access to Anyone with the link or Specific people.
- For Specific people, type the external person’s full email address.
- They’ll get a link; first-time external users may receive a one-time verification code by email to confirm their identity.
If external sharing is blocked, you’ll see “Your organization’s policies don’t allow you to share with these users” — contact your admin.
Add a Password or Expiration Date
Available on the web (and on some plans):
- In the Share dialog, click the gear/settings or Link settings.
- Set an Expiration date so the link stops working after a chosen day.
- Set a Password the recipient must enter to open the link.
These are great for sending sensitive files to people outside your company.
See Who Has Access and Stop Sharing
- Right-click the folder > Manage access (or Share > the three dots > Manage access).
- You’ll see every person and link with access.
- To revoke: click the dropdown next to a person and choose Stop sharing, or delete a link with the X.
- To remove all access at once, choose Stop sharing at the folder level.
Troubleshooting
The recipient gets “Access denied”
The link type may be Specific people but you sent it to a different address than the one they signed in with. Re-share to the exact email they use, or switch to Anyone with the link.
”Anyone with the link” is greyed out
Your organization disabled anonymous links. Use Specific people instead, or ask your admin.
I shared the wrong folder
Right-click it > Manage access > Stop sharing. The link dies immediately.
Edits by others aren’t showing up
Make sure you shared with Can edit on, and that your own OneDrive is synced — see how to fix OneDrive sync issues.
External recipient never got the verification code
Ask them to check spam, then resend. Codes expire — they may need a fresh one.
Quick Reference
| Goal | Setting |
|---|---|
| Anyone can open, no login | Anyone with the link |
| Only your company | People in your organization |
| Only named people | Specific people |
| View only | Turn off “Can edit” |
| Time-limited | Set an expiration date |
| Lock it down | Add a password |
| Revoke access | Manage access > Stop sharing |
Related OneDrive guides: OneDrive vs SharePoint · How to fix OneDrive sync issues · How to free up space in OneDrive · What is OneDrive Files On-Demand? · How to sync SharePoint with OneDrive
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