Permission & Access Issues

How to Access and Transfer Sensitivity-Labeled Files in Microsoft 365

Rana Garcia Oct 15, 2026 868 views

Question details

An organization needs to access and migrate Microsoft 365 files protected by sensitivity labels after an employee has left or retired.

How Administrators Can Access and Transfer Sensitivity-Labeled Files

Product: Microsoft 365, SharePoint, OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A former employee left files with sensitivity labels in their OneDrive, and an administrator needs to access, unprotect, and transfer them to a shared company location.
Observed behavior: The files remain locked or restricted by sensitivity labels in the departed user's OneDrive account, requiring administrative intervention to regain access and transfer ownership.

Before you start

Ensure you have Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator privileges in your Microsoft 365 tenant before attempting to access another user's OneDrive account.

Solution 1Recommended

Assign OneDrive Administrator Permissions and Access Files

Assign yourself as the site collection owner of the former employee's OneDrive to gain full access to their files.

Before you can change labels or move files, you must first grant your admin account explicit access to the departed user's personal OneDrive site collection.

Open SharePoint admin center

Manage User Profiles

Under User profiles, click 'Open', then select 'Manage User Profiles' and search for the former employee's profile.

Manage Site Collection Owners

Click the menu beside the departed user's name, select 'Manage site collection owners', add your administrator account as the primary or secondary administrator, and click 'OK'.

Generate OneDrive access link

Return to the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to 'Active users', and select the departed user. Open their account panel, select the 'OneDrive' tab, and click 'Get link to files' to access their directory.

Assign OneDrive Administrator Permissions and Access Files

Administrator Access: It may take a few minutes for the permission changes to propagate across Microsoft 365 services before the link allows full access.

Solution 2

Modify File Sensitivity Labels and Move to Shared Storage

Once you have access to the files, change the sensitivity labels to allow transferring them to a shared organization library.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove sensitivity labels from hundreds of files at once?

Bulk removal of sensitivity labels cannot typically be done through the standard Microsoft 365 web interface. You must use Microsoft Purview Information Protection PowerShell cmdlets or contact your organization's IT administrator for advanced bulk operations.

What should I do if the sensitivity label prevents me from opening the file even as an administrator?

If the label applies strict encryption (e.g., restricted strictly to the departed user), even a SharePoint administrator might not be able to open it. The Azure Rights Management Super User feature must be enabled, and a designated Super User can then remove or change the encryption settings.

How long do I have to access a departed user's OneDrive before it is deleted?

By default, when a user's Microsoft 365 account is deleted, their OneDrive is retained for 30 days (unless a specific retention policy is in place). The manager or designated administrator must transfer the necessary files within this retention period.

Document & File Issues