File Sharing Problems

Fix SharePoint Anyone Sharing Option Grayed Out

Olivia Miller Oct 13, 2026 868 views

Question details

The 'Anyone' option for sharing files and folders in SharePoint is disabled and cannot be selected.

How to Fix SharePoint Anyone Sharing Option Grayed Out

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to share a SharePoint document or folder with external users using an 'Anyone with the link' option.
Observed behavior: The 'Anyone' sharing option is grayed out in the sharing dialog, preventing users from creating anonymous sharing links.

Before you start

You must have Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator privileges in your Microsoft 365 tenant to modify these organization-wide and site-level sharing settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable External Sharing in SharePoint Admin Center

To allow anonymous sharing links, the external sharing policy must be set to 'Anyone' at both the organization level and the specific site level.

SharePoint enforces the most restrictive sharing setting between your organization-level policy and your individual site policy. You must update both areas to resolve the grayed-out option.

Open the SharePoint Admin Center

Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center. In the left navigation pane, click on 'Show all', expand 'Admin centers', and select 'SharePoint'.

Update organization-level policies

In the SharePoint Admin Center, go to 'Policies' and select 'Sharing'. Under the External sharing section, drag the slider for SharePoint up to the 'Anyone' level. Click 'Save' at the bottom.

Access Active sites settings

Navigate to 'Sites' > 'Active sites' in the left menu. Find and click on the specific SharePoint site where the sharing issue is occurring.

Enable site-level 'Anyone' sharing

In the site properties panel that opens on the right, click the 'Settings' tab. Select 'More sharing settings', choose 'Anyone' under the External sharing section, and click 'Save'.

Enable External Sharing in SharePoint Admin Center

Policy Application Time: It may take a few minutes for the new sharing policies to propagate across the tenant. Refresh your SharePoint site before trying to share the file again.

Solution 2

Deactivate Limited-Access User Permission Lockdown Mode

If sharing policies are configured correctly but the option remains grayed out, a specific site collection security feature might be blocking it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Anyone' option still grayed out after changing the global admin setting?

SharePoint requires both the organization-level policy (tenant policy) and the individual site-level policy to allow 'Anyone' sharing. If you only change the global setting, the individual active site may still be restricted to 'New and existing guests' or 'Only people in your organization'. You must update the site-specific settings under 'Active sites'.

Does disabling 'Limited-access user permission lockdown mode' pose a security risk?

Disabling this feature restores standard SharePoint permission behaviors, allowing users to share folders and files using anonymous links. While it reduces strict lockdown constraints, security is still maintained by your organization's overarching external sharing policies.

Can standard site members fix the grayed-out sharing options?

No. Standard site members and site owners generally cannot modify organization-wide sharing policies or disable site collection lockdown features. You will need to contact your IT department or a Microsoft 365 global/SharePoint administrator to make these changes.

Document & File Issues