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How to Change Ownership or Grant Full Control of a OneDrive File
Question details
The user needs to change the ownership or grant ownership-like control (Full Control) to another user for a specific file stored in OneDrive.
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user wants to transfer management rights of a shared file (such as an Excel spreadsheet) to another person.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive files are owned by the creator by default. The user needs to access Advanced settings to stop inheriting permissions and manually assign Full Control to the new user.
Ensure you are logged into the OneDrive account that currently owns the file and that you have the exact email address of the person you want to grant full control to.
Grant Full Control via Advanced Permission Settings
Use OneDrive's advanced settings to stop permission inheritance and assign Full Control to the target user.
While personal OneDrive accounts do not feature a direct 'Transfer Ownership' button, you can grant another user 'Full Control'. This provides them with ownership-like privileges, including the ability to edit, share, and manage access for others.
Log into your OneDrive account through a web browser and locate the file you want to manage.
Right-click the file (or click the three vertical dots next to it) and select 'Manage access' from the dropdown menu.
In the Manage access panel, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select 'Advanced settings' to open the detailed permissions page.
In the ribbon at the top of the Advanced settings page, click 'Stop Inheriting Permissions'. This separates the file's permissions from the parent folder it is stored in.
Click 'Grant Permissions', enter the email address of the user you wish to give control to, check the 'Full Control' permission level, and click 'Share'.
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- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installer for your operating system.
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- 3. Share via WPS Cloud: Upload your file to WPS Cloud and use the simplified sharing panel to assign view or edit permissions instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I completely transfer absolute ownership of a personal OneDrive file?
No, Microsoft does not provide a direct way to transfer absolute ownership of files in personal OneDrive accounts. Granting 'Full Control' is the closest alternative, or the recipient can simply download the file and re-upload it to their own OneDrive.
What does 'Stop Inheriting Permissions' mean?
By default, files inherit the access permissions of the folder they are in. Stopping inheritance allows you to set unique permissions (like Full Control) for a specific file without altering who has access to the parent folder.
Can a user with Full Control delete the shared file?
Yes, granting a user Full Control allows them to edit, share, change permissions, and even delete the file from the shared location.
Why don't I see the 'Advanced settings' option in OneDrive?
The Advanced settings option is typically available in the web version of OneDrive and OneDrive for Business. If you are using the desktop application or mobile app, you will need to open OneDrive in a web browser to access these granular permission settings.
