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How to Fix the Anyone Sharing Option Unavailable in SharePoint
Question details
The 'Anyone' option is missing or disabled when attempting to share a document externally in SharePoint.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- An administrator or user is trying to share a document with external users using the 'Anyone' link.
- Observed behavior
- The 'Anyone' option is unavailable, and selecting 'People you choose' returns an exact-match error.
Ensure you have global administrator or SharePoint administrator privileges in your Microsoft 365 tenant, as resolving this issue requires access to the SharePoint Admin Center.
Enable External Sharing at the Tenant Level
Adjust the global sharing settings in the SharePoint admin center to allow external sharing for the entire organization.
By default, Microsoft 365 may restrict external sharing to prevent accidental data leaks. If the tenant-level setting is restricted, the 'Anyone' option will be unavailable across all sites.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center using your administrator credentials, then navigate to the SharePoint admin center.
In the left navigation pane, expand the 'Policies' menu and click on 'Sharing'.
Under 'External sharing', locate the sliders for SharePoint and OneDrive. Drag both sliders all the way up to 'Anyone'.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'Save' to apply the new tenant-level sharing permissions.
Configure Sharing Settings for the Specific SharePoint Site
Even if tenant-level sharing is enabled, individual SharePoint sites might still have restrictive sharing settings applied.
Check Security Group Restrictions and Escalate
Verify if sharing is restricted to specific security groups or open a support ticket if settings are correct but the issue persists.
Collaborate and Share Easily with WPS Office
While troubleshooting SharePoint admin restrictions, consider WPS Office for a lightweight, hassle-free way to create, edit, and share documents. WPS Office provides excellent compatibility with Microsoft Office formats and makes local and cloud file sharing simple without complex tenant-level configurations.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Office and open the file you wish to share.
- 2. Click Share: Click the Share button in the top right corner of the workspace.
- 3. Create a link: Select 'Anyone with the link' to generate a public link instantly for easy collaboration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'Anyone with the link' option greyed out in OneDrive?
The 'Anyone' option in OneDrive is greyed out when your organization's Microsoft 365 global sharing settings restrict external sharing. An administrator must update the sharing policy in the SharePoint admin center to allow 'Anyone' links for OneDrive.
Does enabling 'Anyone' sharing pose a security risk?
Yes, 'Anyone' links allow anonymous access, meaning anyone who possesses the link can view or edit the document without signing in. It is recommended to configure expiration dates and require passwords for these links to mitigate security risks.
Can I enable external sharing for just one specific site?
Yes. Once external sharing is allowed at the broad tenant level, you can configure individual SharePoint sites under 'Active sites' in the admin center to have different sharing permissions, such as restricting some sites to 'Existing guests' while allowing 'Anyone' on others.
What should I do if 'People you choose' returns an exact-match error?
This error usually occurs when the external user's email is not recognized in your directory or when guest access policies prevent the invitation. Ensure that B2B collaboration settings in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) allow invitations to external domains.
