Share Files/Folders in OneDrive

UConn faculty, staff, and students have multiple options of sharing files with others who are, or are not, a member of the university. Sharing files through OneDrive is an easy and secure way to share information, collaborate on Microsoft365 files in real time, and keep version history.

External Collaboration

UConn OneDrive accounts have “external sharing” enabled by default. This setting allows users to share files and folders with those who do not have an “@uconn.edu” email address. Users sharing files can choose whether the recipients can alter the files by giving them edit access or can simply view the files in a read-only state.

Check out this guide to learn more: Share OneDrive Files Outside University

Note: This is in contrast to SharePoint where users must request that ITS enable “external sharing” for their SharePoint site. This setting may be enabled or disabled at any time.

Internal Collaboration

Anyone with an “@uconn.edu” email address is considered “internal” to UConn OneDrive accounts. Users sharing files can choose whether the recipients can alter the files by giving them edit access or can simply view the files in a read-only state.

Website vs. Desktop interface

OneDrive can be accessed from s.uconn.edu/onedrive and from right inside your computer’s file manager. In Windows, this manager is “File Explorer” and in macOS, this manager is named “Finder”.
Microsoft 365 files, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, may be edited directly in the browser without need for additional software.

Check out this guide to learn how to connect OneDrive to your computer: Set Up OneDrive on a Computer

Note: If you are using a Linux operating system, there is no official OneDrive client. Visit this guide to learn how to connect a Linux computer: Setting up OneDrive on Linux. Chromebooks run a version of Linux and therefore Chromebook users must use the website to access their files.

Recommended:

Sharing directly from your computer, using File Explorer (Windows) and Finder (macOS), is the easiest method of sharing files.

All Sharing Guides:

There are many ways to share items in OneDrive, view these guides to learn all of the sharing methods in OneDrive.

• • If you are on a computer that you do not own, say, a coworker’s laptop, you should use the OneDrive website to access your files. Remember to log out when you are done!

• • Items in OneDrive can be included directly in emails without the need to download them first.

• • Use the Share button in these apps to easily share your file.

• • Learn how to ask another user to send you files.

• • Learn how to respond to a file request.

• • Learn how to access the items shared with you, and the items you have shared.

• • Learn how to set your shared access to expire on a certain date.

• • Learn how to remove all, or some, access to your item in OneDrive.

• • If you have files that you were working on independently, but now wish to move into a SharePoint, doing so is easy.