Discover how Microsoft OneDrive uses different options to share files with one or more people.
One of the many benefits of Microsoft OneDrive is the ability to share your files with other people – you can do this in different ways. You can share files directly from your local computer or from your online storage site. You can share files with one or more people via e-mail or via a link. You can also determine whether you want other people to edit or just view your OneDrive files. The only requirement is that your recipients must have Microsoft accounts to access your OneDrive storage space and files. Let’s look at the different ways to share files from OneDrive.
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First, I assume that you have already set up and used OneDrive to store and synchronize specific folders and files. Open in Windows File Explorer or Windows Explorer. Open a folder that you synchronize with OneDrive and right-click on a file that you want to share. From the pop-up menu, select the Share with the blue cloud icon command (Figure A).
Figure A
In the Send Link window, click the field for Anyone with the link can edit (Figure B).
Figure B
In the Link Settings window, clear the Allow editing check box if you want to limit the shared file to read-only. Set an expiration date if you want the file sharing to expire at a specific time. Set a password if you want to protect the shared file. If you set a password, you must share it separately with your recipient. Click Apply (Figure C).
Figure C
On the Send Link screen, type the name or e-mail address of the recipient and press Enter. You can add multiple recipients by typing their email address on each line. Click Send to e-mail the shared link to your recipients (Figure D).
Figure D
If you prefer to compile your own e-mail or other means of communication, click the button to copy Link. After the link has been created, click the Copy button. You can then paste the link elsewhere. For other options, click the More apps button. In the panel you can now select a specific app or another way to share the file (Figure E).
Figure E
Your recipients will then receive an e-mail with a link to the file. By clicking on the link, they are asked to sign in with their Microsoft account to access the file.
You can change and manage access to the shared file. To do this, right-click the file and select Share. In the Send Link window, click the ellipse icon at the top right and select Manage Access (Figure F).
Figure F
Your following options depend on how you have shared the file. If you have shared it via e-mail, click on the name of a recipient. In the menu you can change the permissions to allow that person to edit the file or view it only. You can also completely disable file sharing for that person. If you have created a shareable link or selected a specific app or service to share it, click the X next to the link to disable it (Figure G).
Figure G
Finally, you can also share files from your online OneDrive storage space. Log in to your OneDrive page. Select the file that you want to share. Right-click the file and select Share from the menu or select Share on the top toolbar. The options for sharing your file via OneDrive online are virtually the same as for sharing files from Explorer or Windows Explorer. The only difference is that online sharing does not offer the More apps option to share the file via a specific app or service (Figure H).
Figure H
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