Permission & Access Issues

How to Share a Private Customer Folder in a SharePoint Site

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to share a dedicated, private folder with a customer in SharePoint, but the customer can only access the folder via a direct email link and cannot see it when navigating from the main Documents library.

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sharing isolated document folders with external customers without exposing other clients' folders in the main directory.
Observed behavior: The customer can open the folder via the direct link but cannot browse to it from the SharePoint home page or the main Documents library because they lack navigation permissions for the parent folder.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions in your SharePoint site to manage document libraries and adjust folder permission inheritance.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Separate Document Library

This is the recommended approach for keeping customer areas completely isolated while allowing easy access from the site navigation.

When a user only has access to a subfolder, SharePoint does not automatically display it in the main document library's navigation context. Creating a dedicated library resolves this visibility issue.

Create a new library

Navigate to your SharePoint site, click on 'New' in the top menu, and select 'Document library'. Name it appropriately for your customer.

Move customer folders

Copy or move the specific customer's folder into this newly created document library.

Share the library

Click the gear icon or library settings, navigate to permissions, and share the entire new library directly with the customer.

Update site navigation

Add a link to this new document library in the site's left navigation pane so the customer can easily find it upon logging in.

Solution 2

Break Permission Inheritance on Nested Folders

Use this method if you must keep the folder within the main Documents library but need to restrict access to a specific customer via a direct link.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage and Share Documents Easily with WPS Office

While managing SharePoint permissions can be complex, WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with built-in cloud storage. You can easily create, manage, and securely share document folders with clients using WPS Cloud.

1. Open WPS Office: Launch WPS Office on your device and sign in to your WPS account.
2. Create a Cloud Folder: Navigate to WPS Cloud from the left sidebar and create a new folder dedicated to your client.
3. Share the Folder: Right-click the newly created folder, select 'Share', and configure the viewing or editing permissions before copying the link for your client.

Free and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Built-in WPS Cloud for easy file sharing and folder management.Set precise sharing permissions with customized links and passwords.Seamless transition with a familiar and intuitive user interface.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't the customer see the shared folder in the main SharePoint Documents library?

SharePoint requires users to have at least read permissions at the parent library level to browse its contents. If they only have access to a specific nested subfolder, the folder remains hidden in the standard navigation to prevent them from seeing other directories.

Can I share a folder in SharePoint without giving access to the whole site?

Yes. You can break permission inheritance on a specific folder via the 'Advanced' permission settings and grant access only to that folder. The user will be able to access the folder using a direct link but will not have access to the rest of the site.

What is the difference between sharing a folder and a document library in SharePoint?

Sharing a document library grants access to all files and folders within it, allowing the user to browse the library freely from the site navigation. Sharing a specific nested folder only grants access to its contents, which typically requires a direct link for external users unless they also have parent-level read access.

Document & File Issues