Choose sharing permissions

Permission should follow the recipient’s task

OneDrive and SharePoint let file owners manage sharing links and permissions, including changing or stopping access.

The Manage Access view shows who has direct access and which links grant access.

A reviewer may need comments but not full edit rights. A vendor may need one folder but not the parent project. “Anyone with the link” reduces identity control and can spread beyond the original recipient. Begin with named people and view access unless the workflow requires more.

Define audience, action and duration

Write down who needs access, what they must do and when access should end. Remove unrelated content from the shared folder. If the recipient needs one file, do not share a broad parent folder. Confirm organizational rules for external sharing.

1. 1

   Identify every intended recipient.

2. 2

   State view, comment, upload or edit needs.

3. 3

   Choose the narrowest folder or file.

4. 4

   Remove hidden or unrelated content.

5. 5

   Set an end date for temporary work.

6. 6

   Confirm whether downloads are acceptable.

Create and test the link

Open Share, choose the link settings before copying, and specify named recipients where possible. Add a short message describing the file and expected action. Test with a second account or private window so you see the recipient experience rather than the owner view.

1. 1

   Open the file sharing dialog.

2. 2

   Choose Specific people or the approved scope.

3. 3

   Select view or edit access.

4. 4

   Set expiry or password if the service and policy support it.

5. 5

   Send the link with purpose and deadline.

6. 6

   Open it as a recipient.

7. 7

   Confirm no neighboring files are exposed.

Review access during and after collaboration

Use Manage Access to identify direct grants and link-based access. Deleting an email message does not revoke the link. If the audience or permission changes, create a new restricted link and remove the old one. Record external access for sensitive projects.

Ownership matters. Files shared with you remain under the owner’s account, and access can disappear if that account changes. Move final organizational records into an approved team location rather than relying on a personal share.

1. 1

   Open Manage Access.

2. 2

   List named users and active links.

3. 3

   Remove duplicate or overly broad links.

4. 4

   Change edit access to view when work is complete.

5. 5

   Move final records into the correct team-owned location.

Confirm least privilege and lifecycle

At completion, the recipient should retain only the access required by the ongoing relationship. Temporary contractors and expired links should be removed. The authoritative file location and owner should be clear. If access cannot be explained from the project record, the sharing model is too informal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Copying a default “anyone” link without reading settings.
• Sharing a parent folder when one file is enough.
• Assuming deleting the message revokes access.
• Leaving edit permission after approval.