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Fix Guest Users Cannot Open Shared SharePoint Subfolders
Question details
Guest users are receiving a "Something went wrong" error when trying to access shared subfolders, even though they have accepted the invitation and appear in the folder-sharing list.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- External guest users attempt to open specifically shared subfolders within a SharePoint site.
- Observed behavior
- An error message stating "Something went wrong" is displayed upon opening the folder. The same error is also visible when attempting to view the site's Members and About information.
Ensure you have SharePoint site administrator or owner privileges, as you will need elevated permissions to modify site collections and manage advanced folder access settings.
Test Access in an InPrivate or Incognito Browser Window
Use a private browsing window to rule out browser cache issues or conflicts with other active Microsoft accounts on the guest user's device.
Often, browser caching or multiple Microsoft accounts logged into the same browser can cause permission conflicts when accessing SharePoint links.
Ask the guest user to open a new InPrivate window in Edge or an Incognito window in Chrome.
Have them paste the shared folder link directly into the private window's address bar and sign in with their guest credentials.
Remove Guest Users and Grant Access via Advanced Settings
Reset the guest permissions by removing the affected users from the site collection and securely re-adding them through Advanced Settings.
Contact Your Microsoft 365 Administrator
If standard troubleshooting fails, administrative support is needed to investigate backend issues using HAR logs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do guest users get an error despite accepting the SharePoint invitation?
This can happen if the guest user's permission token didn't sync properly across the SharePoint site collection, or if they are signed into a browser with a different primary Microsoft account that lacks permission.
How do I check if guest sharing is enabled in my organization?
You need SharePoint Administrator access. Go to the SharePoint admin center, expand 'Policies', select 'Sharing', and ensure the external sharing slider for SharePoint is set to allow 'New and existing guests' or 'Anyone'.
Does clearing the browser cache fix the 'Something went wrong' SharePoint error?
Yes, occasionally. Corrupted cookies or outdated session data can cause access errors. Clearing the cache or testing in an Incognito/InPrivate window is a recommended first step to isolate browser-specific issues.
What is a HAR log and why does Microsoft Support need it?
A HAR (HTTP Archive) log records the network requests between the user's browser and the SharePoint servers. Microsoft Support uses it to identify exactly where the authentication or permission check is failing in the background.
