Permission & Access Issues

How to Share a SharePoint Parent Folder with Internal and External Users

Huda Qurayshi Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to grant access to a high-level SharePoint directory so that internal and external users can automatically access existing and newly created subfolders without configuring individual permissions repeatedly.

How to Share a SharePoint Parent Folder with Internal and External Users

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sharing deeply nested SharePoint folders repeatedly creates unnecessary permission management overhead and complexity.
Observed behavior: By sharing a suitable parent folder, permission inheritance automatically grants the intended users access to all its underlying subfolders, provided inheritance isn't manually blocked.

Before you start

Ensure you have Full Control or Site Owner permissions in your SharePoint environment to manage access levels and share content with external users.

Solution 1Recommended

Share the Highest-Level Appropriate Parent Folder

Share the main parent directory to grant automatic access to all subfolders through SharePoint's permission inheritance, saving time on access management.

SharePoint utilizes a top-down permission inheritance model. By granting users access at the parent folder level, all existing and future subfolders will automatically inherit those exact same access rights. This eliminates the need to manually share each nested folder individually.

Locate the parent folder

Navigate to your SharePoint document library and select the highest-level parent folder that contains the subfolders you wish to share.

Open the sharing menu

Click the 'Share' icon next to the folder name, or click the ellipsis (...) and select 'Share' from the dropdown menu.

Specify users and permissions

Enter the email addresses of the internal and external users. Click the gear icon or permission dropdown to set their access level (e.g., Can view or Can edit).

Send the invitation

Click 'Send' to notify the users via email, or click 'Copy link' to distribute the shared folder link manually.

Verify subfolder inheritance

Ensure that none of the subfolders have 'Unique permissions' enabled, as this will block the inheritance from the parent folder and prevent users from accessing them.

Share the Highest-Level Appropriate Parent Folder

Troubleshooting Access Updates: If users cannot access the subfolders immediately after you share the parent folder, ask them to refresh the shared link or try opening it in an InPrivate or Incognito browser window.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't external users access subfolders after I share the SharePoint parent folder?

This typically occurs if the subfolders have 'unique permissions' enabled. Unique permissions break the inheritance from the parent folder. To fix this, a site owner must go to the subfolder's 'Manage Access' > 'Advanced settings' and select 'Delete unique permissions' to restore inheritance.

Do external users need a Microsoft account to access the shared SharePoint folder?

It depends on your organization's external sharing settings. Administrators can allow 'Anyone with the link' access for anonymous viewing/editing, or they can require external users to verify their identity using a one-time passcode sent to their email.

Can I share a parent folder but restrict access to one specific subfolder?

Yes. You can share the parent folder with everyone, and then navigate to the specific subfolder you want to hide or restrict. Open its Advanced permission settings, stop inheriting permissions, and remove the users or groups who should not have access to that specific subfolder.

Document & File Issues