Others

How to Find and Create a OneDrive Referral Link

Muhammad Talha Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to locate or generate their unique OneDrive referral link to share with others.

How to Find and Use a OneDrive Referral Link

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sharing a referral link to invite friends to OneDrive and potentially earn bonus cloud storage space.
Observed behavior: The referral link is not directly visible on the standard OneDrive interface, requiring the user to manually extract their account CID from the URL to construct the invite link.

Before you start

Ensure you are logged into your Microsoft account on a desktop web browser so you can clearly view the full URL in your address bar.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Referral Link Using Your Account CID

Extract your unique Customer ID (CID) from the OneDrive web URL and append it to the standard referral web address.

Since the direct referral link may be hidden or omitted from the current OneDrive dashboard, you can manually build your unique invite URL using your Microsoft account's CID.

Open OneDrive in a browser

Navigate to the official OneDrive website and log in to your Microsoft account.

Locate the CID in the address bar

Look at the URL in your browser's address bar. Find the section that says 'cid=' followed by a string of alphanumeric characters.

Copy your CID value

Highlight and copy the value immediately following the 'cid=' part of the URL (for example, B531B0B370DF4D47).

Construct the referral link

Replace 'YOUR_CID' in this format 'https://onedrive.live.com/?invref=YOUR_CID' with the value you just copied. This becomes your personal working referral link.

Create a Referral Link Using Your Account CID

Referral Program Status: If the generated link does not work, the OneDrive referral program may be temporarily suspended or discontinued by Microsoft. You can contact OneDrive support to verify if the promotional offer is still active.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Management

While you manage files in cloud storage, consider pairing it with WPS Office. It is a highly compatible, free, and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office that includes its own robust cloud ecosystem.

1. Download and Install: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and run the quick installer.
2. Sign In for Cloud Benefits: Create or log into your WPS account to instantly activate your free WPS Cloud storage space.
3. Edit Files Anywhere: Open, edit, and save your Microsoft Office formats directly within WPS Office across all your devices.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint file formats.Includes built-in WPS Cloud storage for easy document syncing, auto-saving, and secure sharing.Features a lightweight installation with a familiar user interface, making migration quick and effortless.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the referral link missing from my OneDrive settings?

Microsoft frequently updates the OneDrive web interface. During these updates, promotional features like referral links are sometimes moved, hidden, or temporarily removed, which makes the manual CID method necessary.

What exactly is a CID in a Microsoft account?

A CID (Customer ID) is a unique 16-character alphanumeric identifier tied to your specific Microsoft account. It helps Microsoft servers locate your personal directories and account settings.

Will I still get bonus storage if I use this manual link?

Yes, provided that Microsoft's referral bonus program is currently active. If the program has been discontinued entirely, the link will safely redirect users to the standard OneDrive signup page without granting bonus space.

Office Quick Solutions