File Sharing Problems

How to Get Actual SharePoint Sharing Links for External Users

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to convert AccessViaLinkID values found in the SharePoint Shared with External Users report into actual, clickable sharing URLs to audit external access.

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Reviewing SharePoint sharing reports as a site owner to audit external user access links.
Observed behavior: The default SharePoint report only displays an AccessViaLinkID GUID instead of the actual clickable sharing link used by external guests.

Before you start

Verify your Microsoft 365 permission level. Generating detailed link reports that convert GUIDs to actual URLs usually requires Tenant Administrator rights rather than standard Site Owner permissions.

Solution 1Recommended

Request a PowerShell Report from the Tenant Administrator

Since site owners cannot directly convert the AccessViaLinkID GUID into a URL, you will need assistance from an admin with PowerShell access.

The built-in SharePoint report provides limited information for site owners. To extract the actual external sharing links, tenant-level administrative permissions are required to run advanced PowerShell scripts.

Identify your Administrator

Locate your Microsoft 365 Tenant Administrator or IT support team within your organization.

Request the Custom Report

Ask them for a detailed external sharing report, explicitly requesting that they use the SharePoint Online Management Shell (PowerShell) to extract actual sharing URLs instead of link IDs.

Review the Results

Once the administrator runs the script and provides the exported CSV file, review the report to audit the actual URLs accessed by external users.

Permission Limitations: Standard site owners do not have the required backend access to run these tenant-level PowerShell cmdlets.

Solution 2

Seek PowerShell Script Assistance in Microsoft Q&A

If your admin needs the exact script to extract these links, the Microsoft Q&A community can provide tailored PowerShell code.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the SharePoint report only show AccessViaLinkID?

SharePoint's default site-level reporting obscures the actual sharing URLs into GUIDs (AccessViaLinkID) for backend database structure reasons. Extracting the real URL requires querying the server via PowerShell.

Can a standard SharePoint Site Owner use PowerShell to get these links?

Generally, no. Extracting detailed sharing link URLs across a site requires SharePoint Tenant Administrator rights to run the necessary PnP PowerShell or SharePoint Online Management Shell cmdlets.

Are there any third-party tools to find actual SharePoint sharing links?

Yes, several third-party Microsoft 365 governance and reporting tools can automatically translate link IDs into readable URLs without manual PowerShell scripting, provided those tools are authorized and installed by your tenant administrator.

Document & File Issues