Quick Answer
To protect OneDrive links, you need a Microsoft 365 subscription. Without it, you cannot set expiration dates or passwords to the link. Alternatively, you can set passwords to the files you share through OneDrive, share them with specific people, and remove links afterward to cut access.
Sharing files and folders over the cloud is common in our personal and professional lives. Microsoft’s OneDrive has been one of the go-to options for cloud drives. You can upload and share files on OneDrive, like on Google Drive.
When we share multiple files over OneDrive with various people, tracking how the files are accessed and used becomes difficult. This compromises the privacy of the files, and we cannot prevent misuse.
This guide provides ways you can implement to protect files on OneDrive that you share with other people.
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How to Protect OneDrive Links
You need a Microsoft 365 subscription to protect the files you share on OneDrive with other people. Without Microsoft 365, you can only choose who can access it. Other features like expiration date and password are available to premium users only. If you do not have a Microsoft 365 subscription but have Google Workspace, learn how to protect files shared on Google Drive, which is a similar feature.
To protect files shared on OneDrive, select the file or folder you want to share and click the Share icon. A Send link pop-up will appear. Click on the drop-down beside the Pencil icon and select Sharing options. Alternatively, you can click Anyone with the link can edit under the Copy link. Both take you to the same options.
Now, select who you want to share the files with. If you want to set the file to be accessible to anyone with the link, check the button beside Anyone. To give access to specific people, check the button beside Specific people and enter their email addresses.
Then, under More settings, select Can Edit or Can View to give people options to edit or view the file. If you give edit options, you give them control over your file. Afterward, set an expiration date in the Set expiration date (MM/DD/YYYY) tab and a password in the Password tab. Click Apply to share the file with the security settings you have just set up.
Microsoft 365 subscriptions let you access these features and protect what you share on OneDrive with other people. If you do not share files more often with people and can track the file sharing, you can protect files manually.
How to Protect Files Shared on OneDrive Without Microsoft 365 Subscription
This is a manual method. You need to track every file you share with others, manually set and change passwords for the files, remove access to people who no longer have anything to do with the file, etc.
The only option to protect files shared on OneDrive without a Microsoft 365 subscription is to password-protect the files individually. If you share a folder, compress it and set a password while compressing it.
Set passwords for PDFs and other documents on the applications you use to create them before you share them with others. To share images, compress them into a zip file with password protection. Never use Anyone with the link can access the file option. Only share with the people you know personally by entering their email addresses under the Specific people option.
This gives you absolute control over the files. You can easily track misuse and terminate access anytime by removing the link. To improve security, change the files’ passwords regularly and save them on a password manager to remember the new passwords.
How Do I Make My OneDrive Link Private?
When you select a file to share on OneDrive, you will see the list of people with whom the file is shared. Click on the shared people to Manage access.
Now, click on the Links tab on the Manage Access window. Click on the Bin icon to remove the link.
It will permanently remove the shareable link. You need to create another link again to share using the Share button.
Secure OneDrive Files and Links
Whenever we upload one OneDrive and share it with others, we need to look at the options that appear while sharing. Those options give us more control over the file after it is shared. If we overlook the options and proceed with sharing, it jeopardizes the privacy and security of the file. Given today’s digital world, data protection should be our utmost priority. Be it OneDrive or Google Drive, we should not give access to anyone with the link.
FAQs on Securing OneDrive Links
Is it safe to share a OneDrive link?
If the OneDrive link you share has important files, it is not safe to share. If you have to share essential files through OneDrive, share them with passwords to specific people and remove the link after the task is completed. This way, you may prevent the file from being misused. If the other person had already downloaded the file, you cannot do anything about its privacy and security.
