Permission & Access Issues

How to Remove External Sharing Permissions from OneDrive Files

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 16, 2026 869 views

Question details

Organizations require an automated method to revoke existing external access to OneDrive for Business files upon employee offboarding.

How to Remove External Sharing Permissions from OneDrive Files

Product: OneDrive for Business
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Employee offboarding processes require automatically removing external file access rather than just preventing future sharing.
Observed behavior: Current external sharing links or permissions remain active after an employee leaves unless manually or programmatically removed.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges for SharePoint Online and Power Automate, and basic knowledge of navigating Microsoft 365 workflows.

Solution 1Recommended

Automate Permission Revocation using Power Automate

Set up a scheduled Power Automate flow connected to a SharePoint list to identify and remove shared file permissions upon an employee's departure.

This method is ideal for IT administrators managing employee offboarding. By utilizing a dedicated SharePoint Online list that contains employee leave dates, a daily flow can check this list and automatically revoke access to shared files for departing users.

Custom permissions might require utilizing the SharePoint REST API within your Power Automate flow to effectively clear unique file permissions without manual intervention.

Create a Tracking List

Create a SharePoint Online list to track user information, making sure to include a 'LeaveDate' column.

Create a Scheduled Flow

Open Power Automate and create a new scheduled cloud flow configured to run daily to check the employee departure list.

Query the SharePoint List

Add a 'Get items' action to retrieve entries from your SharePoint list where the 'LeaveDate' equals today's date.

Modify Target Permissions

Add a 'Send an HTTP request to SharePoint' action. Use SharePoint REST API calls to programmatically identify shared files and remove the departing user's external permissions.

Automate Permission Revocation using Power Automate

Testing Requirement: Carefully test the flow and REST API processes on a small pilot group before applying the automation organization-wide to prevent accidental access removal.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I manually remove external sharing permissions in OneDrive?

Yes. Select the shared file or folder in your OneDrive, click the 'More options' (three dots) icon, select 'Manage Access', and then delete specific sharing links or stop sharing entirely.

Do I need premium Power Automate licenses to use the SharePoint REST API?

Standard Microsoft 365 licensing typically covers the 'Send an HTTP request to SharePoint' action, allowing you to modify SharePoint and OneDrive permissions without requiring premium connectors.

Why doesn't deleting the user's Microsoft 365 account automatically stop external sharing?

Disabling or deleting an account prevents the user from logging in, but active external sharing links they previously generated for company files may still remain accessible to outside parties unless systematically revoked.

Document & File Issues