How to Transfer Ownership of an Excel File in a Former Employee's OneDrive
Question details
The organization needs to transfer ownership of a shared Excel workbook created by a departed employee to prevent the file from being deleted when the former employee's account is removed.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- An employee has left the company, and active staff members need to retain control over the shared Excel files stored in the former employee's OneDrive.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive does not offer a direct feature or command to change the ownership of an individual file, leaving it at risk of permanent deletion.
Ensure you have Microsoft 365 admin permissions or the necessary login credentials to access the former employee's OneDrive account before it is permanently deleted.
Move or Copy the Excel File to an Active OneDrive or SharePoint Library
Since OneDrive lacks a direct transfer ownership button, the most effective method is to manually move or copy the file to a secure, active location and re-share it.
Moving the file directly through the OneDrive web interface is the best way to retain its version history. If you simply download and re-upload the file to a new location, previous versions and collaborative edits will be lost.
Log into the former employee's Microsoft 365 account or access their OneDrive via the active Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
Navigate to the folder containing the specific Excel file you need to transfer.
Select the file, click on the three horizontal dots (More options) next to the file name, and choose 'Move to' or 'Copy to'.
Choose an active employee's OneDrive or a relevant SharePoint document library, then click 'Move here' or 'Copy here'.
Navigate to the file in its new location, click 'Share', and send new access links to all required collaborators.
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- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download and install the free software on your device.
- 2. Open Your Excel Files: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open any .xlsx files you recently migrated from OneDrive.
- 3. Save and Collaborate: Save your workbooks to WPS Cloud to easily manage permissions and share files securely with your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the existing sharing links work after I move the Excel file?
No, moving a file to a new OneDrive or SharePoint document library changes its URL. You must generate new sharing links from the new location and distribute them to your team.
Can a Microsoft 365 Admin directly change the owner of a single file?
No, Microsoft 365 does not allow admins to change the ownership of individual files inside a user's OneDrive. Admins can grant themselves access to the entire OneDrive, but manually moving the file is still required.
How long do I have to recover a deleted employee's OneDrive files?
By default, when a user account is deleted in Microsoft 365, their OneDrive data is retained for 30 days. An admin must access and move the necessary files before this retention period expires.
