How to Share Individual SharePoint Files Without Granting Folder Access
Question details
External users need to open individual SharePoint files from an Excel list without having to browse the document library, join the site, or sign in.
- Product
- SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Sharing a specific list of files with external users securely through an Excel document.
- Observed behavior
- Sharing the entire SharePoint folder or site grants external users more access permissions than intended.
Ensure that your organization's tenant and site policies allow anonymous link sharing (Anyone with the link). Without this permission enabled by your administrator, you will not be able to create sign-in-free links.
Generate Anonymous View-Only Links Manually
Create individual sharing links for each required file and compile them in an Excel spreadsheet to ensure external users only access what is explicitly shared.
By creating specific links for individual files rather than the folder, you prevent external users from browsing your SharePoint library. Compiling these links into a single Excel file provides a clean, easily distributable directory.
Navigate to your SharePoint Document Library and find the specific file you want to share.
Hover over the file, click the 'Share' icon, or right-click the file and select 'Share' from the context menu.
Click the gear icon or link settings tab. Select 'Anyone with the link' to enable anonymous access, and uncheck 'Allow editing' to restrict the user to view-only mode.
Click 'Apply' to save the permission settings, then click 'Copy Link' to generate the URL.
Open your Excel spreadsheet and paste the copied URL next to the corresponding file name. Share only this Excel file with external users.
Automate Link Generation Using Power Automate
Use a Power Automate flow to bulk-generate anonymous sharing links for multiple files if doing it manually is too time-consuming.
Manage and Edit Your File Lists with WPS Office
While configuring SharePoint permissions requires a Microsoft 365 environment, you can seamlessly create, manage, and distribute your Excel file lists using WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and completely free alternative to Microsoft Office for your daily document and spreadsheet tasks.
- 1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup.
- 3. Manage your Excel lists: Open WPS Spreadsheet, load your Excel file, and start pasting your generated SharePoint links to easily share them with external users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'Anyone with the link' option grayed out in SharePoint?
Your SharePoint administrator has likely restricted anonymous sharing at the tenant or site level for security reasons. You must request that your IT department enable external sharing for 'Anyone' before you can generate these links.
Can I track who views the file if I use an anonymous link?
No. Anonymous links do not require users to sign in, which means SharePoint cannot identify or track the specific individuals who open the file.
Will sharing the Excel file grant access to my SharePoint folder?
No. If you share just the completed Excel file (via email attachment or direct download), it only acts as a directory. External users will only gain access to the specific SharePoint files you generated individual anonymous links for.
