Permission & Access Issues

How to Enable an Anyone View-Only Link for a SharePoint Folder

Ayan Masood Oct 7, 2026 878 views

Question details

The user needs to generate an anonymous, view-only sharing link for a SharePoint folder, but the 'Anyone' sharing option is currently disabled or unavailable.

How to Enable an Anyone View-Only Link for a SharePoint Folder

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to share a SharePoint folder with external users using an anonymous view-only link.
Observed behavior: The 'Anyone with the link' sharing option is greyed out or completely disabled in the SharePoint folder sharing menu.

Before you start

Verify your current account permissions within the SharePoint site and ensure you have the contact information of your Microsoft 365 or SharePoint administrator, as organizational policy changes may be required.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Organization and Site External Sharing Settings

Because the 'Anyone' option is often disabled by administrators to prevent data leaks, you must ensure organizational settings permit anonymous external sharing.

To enable anonymous links, external sharing must be turned on at both the Microsoft 365 organization level and the specific SharePoint site level.

Contact your Administrator

Reach out to your Microsoft 365 or SharePoint administrator to request adjustments to the external sharing policies.

Update SharePoint Admin Center

If you have admin access, navigate to the SharePoint Admin Center, go to Policies > Sharing, and set the external sharing slider to 'Anyone'.

Update Site-Level Settings

In the Admin Center, go to Sites > Active sites, select your specific site, click Settings, and change the external sharing limit to 'Anyone'.

Generate the Link

Return to your SharePoint folder, click 'Share', select 'Anyone with the link', uncheck 'Allow editing' to make it view-only, and apply the settings.

Verify Organization and Site External Sharing Settings

Note on Security: Administrators may permanently restrict this feature to comply with company data policies. Always ensure you are not violating internal security protocols when requesting anonymous access.

Solution 2

Use a 'Specific People' Link as a Secure Alternative

If your organization's policy strictly prohibits anonymous 'Anyone' links, you can bypass this restriction by directly inviting external users via their email addresses.

Solution 3

Modify Advanced Access Permissions

For highly restricted environments, you can manually assign Read-only permissions to specific users by modifying advanced permissions.

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2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open the file you wish to collaborate on.
3. Generate a Share Link: Click the 'Share' button in the top right corner to instantly generate a secure, view-only or editable link without navigating complex admin settings.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Anyone with the link' option greyed out in SharePoint?

This typically happens when your organization's Microsoft 365 or SharePoint administrator has disabled anonymous external sharing globally or specifically for your SharePoint site to maintain data security and prevent unauthorized access.

Can I restrict downloads when sharing a view-only link in SharePoint?

Yes. If the 'Anyone' link is enabled by your admin, you can select 'Block download' in the link settings before copying or sending the link. This prevents users from saving a local copy of your files.

Do external users need a Microsoft account to view an 'Anyone' link?

No, an 'Anyone' link provides anonymous access, meaning recipients do not need to sign in or possess a Microsoft account to view the shared folder's contents.

Document & File Issues