Fix the OneDrive Non-Microsoft Account Sharing Error
Question details
The user needs to share OneDrive files with recipients who use non-Microsoft email addresses and resolve the sharing error caused by external sharing restrictions.
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive / Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Sharing a file or folder from OneDrive with an external collaborator who uses a non-Microsoft email address.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive displays the message "The following emails are not Microsoft accounts" when sending a sharing invitation.
Before changing tenant settings, sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center with a Global or SharePoint administrator account and open the OneDrive or SharePoint location that contains the file you need to share.
Check Microsoft 365 external sharing settings in the admin center
Use this first when OneDrive blocks invitations to non-Microsoft email addresses, because tenant-level external sharing is usually the root cause.
Microsoft 365 controls external sharing for OneDrive and SharePoint through the SharePoint admin center. If external sharing is restricted to existing guests or limited to Microsoft accounts, OneDrive rejects recipients with non-Microsoft email addresses before the invitation can be sent.
Go to admin.microsoft.com and sign in with an account that has Global or SharePoint administrator permissions. In the left navigation, select Admin centers, then SharePoint.
In the SharePoint admin center, go to Policies and select Sharing.
Under External sharing, set the OneDrive and SharePoint sliders to "Anyone" or "New and existing guests" according to your organization's policy, then save the change.
Return to OneDrive, open the file or folder, click Share, enter the non-Microsoft email address again, and send the invitation.
Use an Anyone with the link sharing link instead of a direct email invitation
Use this when the admin policy already allows external sharing but the invitation dialog still flags the recipient address.
Troubleshoot browser and OneDrive for Mac invitation issues
Use this when the same sharing action works in another browser or platform but fails in Chrome on Mac.
Share and Edit Documents Without OneDrive Account Restrictions Using WPS Office
WPS Office is a free, lightweight Office suite that opens Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with full Microsoft Office compatibility. If OneDrive sharing errors interrupt your workflow, you can use WPS Office with flexible local or cloud storage options and share documents without depending on Microsoft account restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does OneDrive say "The following emails are not Microsoft accounts"?
This message usually appears when Microsoft 365 external sharing is disabled or restricted in the SharePoint admin center. The tenant policy prevents OneDrive from accepting email addresses that are not already recognized by your organization.
Can I share OneDrive files with Gmail or Yahoo addresses?
Yes, if the Microsoft 365 administrator allows external sharing. In the SharePoint admin center, set external sharing to "Anyone" or "New and existing guests" so recipients with Gmail, Yahoo, or other non-Microsoft addresses can receive an invitation or link.
Where do I change external sharing settings for OneDrive?
Sign in at admin.microsoft.com, open Admin centers > SharePoint, go to Policies > Sharing, and adjust the External sharing controls for OneDrive and SharePoint.
Why does the error only appear on Mac with Chrome?
A cached session, browser extension, or platform-specific behavior in OneDrive for Mac can affect the invitation process. Try an updated browser, a private window, clearing cookies for onedrive.com, or sharing from the OneDrive web app.
Does WPS Office fix the OneDrive sharing error?
WPS Office is an Office productivity suite and does not change Microsoft OneDrive tenant settings. It can help you open, edit, and share Microsoft Office files through other local or cloud storage options without relying on OneDrive account restrictions.
