If you want to secure your contentand get a link that only works for the people you invite, select Specific peoplein Link settings when creating the sharing link.
The recipients'experience depends on the settings you select when creating the sharing link, and the account they use to view the file.
Recipient doesn’t have a Microsoftaccount
The recipients won't need a Microsoftaccount. To access the content,OneDrive, SharePoint, or Lists sendsa one-time passcode to their email address to verify theiridentity. After they receive the code, they enter it into the verification screen to open the file.The content is secured and the link won’t work if it’s forwarded to others – it only works for people you specified when you shared.
Recipient has a Microsoftaccount
When someone who has aMicrosoftaccount wants to access the content, OneDrive,SharePoint, or Lists asks them to sign in to their account, and requests permission to view their name, email address, and photo to verify their identity.
Note that in some cases the recipient may need to follow the steps aboveand provide a passcodeinstead of signing in.
Tips:
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When you’re done collaborating, or at any time, you can stop sharing and remove access to your files. ForOneDriveandSharePointselect the file then select Details > Manage access to stop sharing.For Lists, open the list and select the information icon in the top right corner, then selectManage access.
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For added security for OneDrive and SharePoint files, you can remove editing permission and turn on Block download in Link settings.
If you want anyone who receives the sharing link to be able to access the content, select Anyone with the link option in Link settings. The recipients won't need a Microsoftaccount and can access the content without having to enter a passcode or sign in.
Caution:Recipients can forward the link to othersand anyone who receives the link will be able to view and access the content.
If you want to specify who receives the sharing link, select theSpecific people option in Link settings. The recipients need a Microsoftaccount to be able to access the content.
FAQs
External access - A feature that allows users to find, call, and chat with people who have Microsoft identities, including those from other organizations. Guest access - A feature that allows you to invite people from outside your organization to join a team.
Can you share a SharePoint list with external users? ›
Sharing OneDrive files, SharePoint files, or Lists with other people allows you to securely collaborate with people outside your organization. If you sign in with a work or school account, you can send a link to specific people, either inside or outside of your organization.
What does external sharing mean in SharePoint? ›
The external sharing features of SharePoint and OneDrive let users in your organization share content with people outside the organization (such as partners, vendors, clients, or customers).
What can guest members do in SharePoint? ›
When you want to share documents with those outside of your organization in a SharePoint setting you can add them as a guest user to SharePoint. This will give your guests access to files saved in the SharePoint site for collaboration.
Why can't I share SharePoint with external users? ›
To address this, consider the following steps. Verify Azure AD Guest settings and SharePoint sharing settings to ensure external user access is allowed. Validate the permissions of the SharePoint group the external user belongs to and ensure appropriate access rights are granted.
Can you share Microsoft lists with external Users? ›
Your corporate admin may restrict sharing to users outside of your organization. If site administrators have not restricted sharing to site owners, any person with Edit permissions can share that list or list item with others by selecting Share or Copy link.
How do I share a SharePoint list with all Users? ›
On the Lists home page, point at the list, then select Open actions > Share. Enter who you want to share with; it can be an individual or a group. Choose the permissions. Select Grant access.
How do I manage external sharing on OneDrive? ›
Sign in to https://admin.microsoft.com as a Global Administrator. In the left pane, select Users > Active users. Select the user. Select the OneDrive tab, and under Sharing, select Manage external sharing.
Can external users add files to SharePoint? ›
External users can view and open files in those folders, but they cannot upload anything (they are owners of the sharepoint site where the folder are placed). All settings related to the permission of external users and sharing settings in Sharepoint (and Teams) are properly set.
What is the difference between SharePoint and OneDrive? ›
OneDrive provides a consistent, intuitive files experience across all your devices, including web, mobile, and the desktop of your Windows PC or Mac. Behind the scenes, SharePoint in Microsoft 365 provides the content services for all files in Microsoft 365, including files you work with in Teams, Yammer, and Outlook.
In the SharePoint admin center, under Policies, select Sharing. Under External sharing, drag the SharePoint slider down to Only people in your organization. (The OneDrive slider is dependent on SharePoint and will also be set to Only people in your organization.) Select Save.
Can a guest be an owner of a SharePoint site? ›
As per your description, based on my test, in SharePoint, an External user (guest) can be promoted to Owner of the site. You may go to SharePoint online admin center> Active sites> select the site>Membership>click on "+Add site owner".
How do I sync SharePoint with guest users? ›
For guests to sync shared content, the content must be shared at the site or folder level. Guests can't sync files that are shared individually (for example, from the Office apps). B2B sync works only when guest accounts are created in the organization, and when the recipient has a Microsoft Entra account.
What is the difference between a guest user and an external user? ›
Microsoft Teams has a couple of sophisticated external sharing options. The first – external access – lets you find, call, and chat with users in other domains. The second – guest access – lets you add individuals to your teams, as guests, using their email address.
What is the difference between user account and guest account? ›
A guest account allows users who don't have a normal user account on that system to be able to log in and at least have some rights and permissions to the operating system. These accounts usually don't have a password associated with them, and they're highly restricted accounts.
Do guest users need a license to access SharePoint? ›
You just need to set corresponding permissions for your guests so they can access the sites and upload or download files. Below is what the official Microsoft documentation states that guests without a license can do.
What is the difference between user and guest account? ›
Unlike the Standard User or Administrator, Guest account users cannot create a password, install a software on your PC or can't even modify any of your PC settings. Guest Accounts have limited set of permissions, but still it is important to disable it when not being user.
