Sharing files & folders using OneDrive

Steps to share a file or folder

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  1. This method assumes you have the OneDrive client installed on your computer and you are signed into it using your SU NetID credentials. (You can also share through https://onedrive.live.com/login/.)

  2. The file must reside inside the "OneDrive - Syracuse University" area of your file manager.
  3. In your file manager, right click the file or folder and choose Share.
  4. This will bring up a Share box.


  5. Type in the person's contact info and click Send to have it send them a link to the file or folder. Alternatively, once you enter the person's info, you can instead click the Copy Link button and then paste the link into an email to send (in that case you don't need to click the Send button).

    1. You can type in a non-SU address here. When the other person receives your link, they will either need to provide a confirmation code (included with the link notification they receive), or they may need to sign into their own Microsoft account to view the file or folder.

  6. If you want to create link so that anyone with the link can access the folder or file, click the small gear wheel icon to bring up the Sharing Settings window.
    1. Choose 'People in Syracuse University' to create a link that anyone with an syr.edu account can use. Note that you can't create a link to share with 'Anyone' like you can in Google Drive; SU blocks that for security reasons.
  7. Also be sure to choose whether the other party can edit the file or only view it.
Note: Make sure not to use 'Give access to'. This method of sharing is not used in our environment (and will prompt for admin credentials).

Stop sharing a file or folder with someone

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  1. Right click the file or folder in File Explorer and choose 'Manage Access'.
  2. Click 'Stop sharing' to remove all sharing; or remove access for a specific person. 
  3. If you shared the link with 'People in Syracuse University', click the Links tab and use the delete icon to disable the link.

Make a shared folder appear in Windows File Explorer within your OneDrive folder

If someone shared a folder with you, this method avoids having to use a web browser to download the file from OneDrive online to work with it.

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  1. Sign into your SU Onedrive in a browser.

  2. On the left click Shared.

  3. Right click the shared folder and choose 'Add shortcut to My files'.
  4. Or select the folder and on the menu bar above, click 'Add shortcut to My files'.
  5. Now go back to Windows File Explorer and after a few minutes you should see the shared folder appear under your 'OneDrive - Syracuse University'. Notice the small chainlink (shortcut) icon signifying it's a folder shared by somebody else.

Make a Teams folder appear in Windows File Explorer within your OneDrive folder

You can make folders and files within a Team appear within your OneDrive folder.

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  1. Go into the Team and then into the Files section.

  2. Click 'Add shortcut to OneDrive':


  3. Now go back to Windows File Explorer and after a few minutes you should see the shared folder appear under your 'OneDrive - Syracuse University'. Notice the small chainlink (shortcut) icon signifying it's a folder shared by another source.