Access a Shared File as an External User

Owned by Dan Jakubiak
Last updated: Oct 25, 2024 by Ashley Mattingly
3 min read

External users (anyone without a @uconn.edu email address) may follow this guide to learn how to collaborate with UConn community members on a file or folder shared from their Microsoft 365 account.

Opening a share link you have received

  1. Check your email for a share link. Click on the file/folder name or Open to open it.

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  2. You will be brought to a UConn sign in page. Enter your non-UConn email address here. Make sure to enter the same address that received the share link.
    You will be redirected to a non-UConn login page after entering your email address.

  3. If you have a Microsoft account associated with this email address, you will be asked to enter your Microsoft password. Once you enter your password, you will be able to access the shared data.

  4. If you do not have a Microsoft account, Microsoft will send a one-time code to your email address. Enter your email address that received the share link.

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  5. You will receive a one-time code in your email inbox. Enter this code in the Microsoft login page.

    This back and forth may feel redundant, but it is necessary to keep the shared data secure. In the case that the share link is obtained by someone else, they would not be able to access the shared data without access to your inbox to receive the one-time code.

  6. Once you have validated your identity with the one-time code, you will be prompted to allow permissions to the University of Connecticut. Click on Accept.

    1. These permissions may seem daunting at first but remember that you do not have a Microsoft account, so there is no personal data to collect from you.

    2. Microsoft is creating a one-time use access token for you and names your presence after the letters before the @ symbol in your address. For example, if my email address was danuconn@gmail.com, the owner of the data would see that “danuconn” accessed the file/folder.

    3. These permissions are stating that they will use your name (example: danuconn) to log the changes you make to the file(s) shared with you. See Version History for Files in OneDrive to learn more about how changes to files are logged.

  7. You may now view the shared data!

The UConn community member that shared the data with you will receive an email informing them that you have successfully viewed the data.

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