How to share folders in OneDrive so that the documents are read-only

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  • Petrol
    New Member
    • Oct 2016
    • 248

    How to share folders in OneDrive so that the documents are read-only

    I have folders in OneDrive each containing several documents - Word and PDF. I want to share these with various external users who are allowed to view the documents, download and modify local copies, but I don't want them to be able to change the originals.
    In OneDrive I select the folder, right-click and select Share, and uncheck "Allow editing" so that the folder's share link is changed from "Anyone can edit" to "Anyone can view". I then copy the link and email it to a client. When the client opens a Word document in the folder he sees a message that the author has made it read-only, but he can then click on "Editing" and make changes which are then reflected in my original document. This is NOT what I want! Does anyone know is there any way to make it REALLY read-only?
  • dev7060
    Recognized Expert Contributor
    • Mar 2017
    • 655

    #2
    Make sure you generate the link after unchecking the allow editing option. The edit button would only appear with the link that was generated when the allow editing option was checked.

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    • Petrol
      New Member
      • Oct 2016
      • 248

      #3
      Ah, thank you. That might be a clue.
      But actually, how would I do that? It's only after I click "Share" in the shortcut menu that I get the option to change the default "Anyone may edit" by clearing "Allow editing". I have no way of knowing whether the link has already been generated by then or not, but when I clear "Allow editing" and Apply I then get the chance to copy the link, and if I edit the linked document the changes are reflected in the original in my OneDrive.

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      • dev7060
        Recognized Expert Contributor
        • Mar 2017
        • 655

        #4
        Here are the steps in the web app:
        - Share -> Copy Link: The link generated would enable the edit feature since by default allow editing is checked. (Attachment 1)
        - Click Anyone with the link can edit -> uncheck allow editing -> Apply -> Now click on copy link : This is the link you want. (Attachment 2)
        Attached Files

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        • Petrol
          New Member
          • Oct 2016
          • 248

          #5
          Yes, that is exactly what I have been doing. I think my system (Microsoft 365 under Windows 10) must be behaving a little differently from yours. Herre are the two links I generate:
          Editable - https://1drv.ms/w/s!AnKSzorNiB526H-9...EkONx?e=PwFZiw
          After unchecking "Allow Editing" and applying - https://1drv.ms/w/s!AnKSzorNiB526H8k...OWBJv?e=s3L6rK.
          When I open the second link i get a button at the top saying "Open in desktop app". If I click that, it opens the document in Word and I can edit and save it back into the original OneDrive document :(.

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          • Petrol
            New Member
            • Oct 2016
            • 248

            #6
            Thanks, lashary1. You may have accidentally posted this in the wrong forum.

            Does anyone else have any suggestions on how I can send links to OneDrive documents that I don't want the receivers to be able to edit?

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            • Naheedmir
              New Member
              • Jul 2020
              • 62

              #7
              Select the file or folder you want to share and click the Share button. Now, click on Invite People and enter the email of those you want to share the file and again click share.

              Comment

              • Petrol
                New Member
                • Oct 2016
                • 248

                #8
                Thank you, Naheedmir (and others who responded to this question earlier).
                It turns out that when I was testing it (by sending the link in an email to my other email address) OneDrive obviously figured out that I was the owner and allowed me to open it regardless of the fact that I was opening it through a read-only link. So the thread can now be closed.

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