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Share Files Publicly on OneDrive: View-Only Access


Please note that the ability to make a file publicly viewable is controlled by the organisation’s OneDrive settings. You may need to ask your administrator to enable this function if you’re not an admin.

  1. Sign in to OneDrive: 
    • Go to the OneDrive website.
    • Enter your Microsoft 365 email address and password, and click “Sign In”.
  2. Select the file or folder you want to share: 
    • From the main OneDrive window, navigate through your file directory until you locate the file or folder you wish to make publicly viewable.
    • Click on the file or folder to select it.
  3. Initiate the sharing process: 
    • With the file or folder selected, click the “Share” button at the top of the window. This will open the “Send Link” window.
  4. Set the sharing permissions: 
    • In the “Send Link” window, click on the link under “Anyone with the link can edit”.
    • In the dropdown, click on the option that says “Anyone with the link”.
    • Uncheck the “Allow editing” box. This is important, as this will ensure that people can only view or download the file and not edit it.
    • If you want the link to stop working after a specific date, select the “Set expiration date” checkbox and choose a date.
  5. Get the sharing link: 
    • Click on “Apply”, and then click “Copy Link” at the bottom of the “Send Link” window. The link is now copied to your clipboard.
  6. Share the link: 
    • You can now share this link with anyone, even if they’re outside your organisation. Anyone with the link can view or download the file, but they won’t be able to edit it.

Please remember to handle sensitive information responsibly.

Be cautious when making a file or folder publicly viewable, and always double-check the permissions settings before sharing a link.