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Sharing Files Securely in Microsoft 365

Sharing Files Securely in Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 makes it easy to share files with coworkers or people outside your organization — but it’s important to do it the right way.

Internal vs. External Sharing

  • Internal Sharing = sharing with people inside your organization.

  • External Sharing = sharing with people outside (e.g. clients, vendors).

⚠️ External sharing may be limited by your company. When in doubt, check with your manager or IT.

Sharing from OneDrive or SharePoint

To Share a File:

  1. Right-click the file in OneDrive, SharePoint, or File Explorer (OneDrive folder).

  2. Click Share.

  3. Choose who to share with:

    • People in [Your Organization] (most common)

    • People with existing access (for resending links)

    • Specific people (lets you pick individual users)

  4. Optional: adjust permissions

    • Can edit or Can view only

    • Block download (view-only links)

  5. Click Copy link or enter email addresses.

Sharing from Microsoft Teams

Files shared in Teams chat or channel are automatically stored in OneDrive or SharePoint.

  • Chat files → stored in your OneDrive, shared with chat participants

  • Channel files → stored in the Team's SharePoint library

Permissions are automatically set based on the Team or chat.

Managing Shared Links

You can see who has access and revoke sharing anytime:

  1. Right-click the file > Manage access

  2. Remove users or links you no longer want to share with

  3. Update permissions if needed

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don’t send links with “Anyone with the link can edit” unless absolutely necessary.

  • Avoid uploading files to both SharePoint and OneDrive for the same project.

  • Don't share files from your Downloads or Desktop — always move them to OneDrive or SharePoint first.

Best Practices

  • Always use the "People in your organization" option when possible

  • Use Specific People if you're controlling access to sensitive files

  • Periodically review who has access to shared files

  • Name your files clearly to avoid confusion

Need Help?

If you’re not sure the best way to share something, feel free to submit a request at support.parkerbass.com