UConn faculty, staff, and students can share files and folders from OneDrive with UConn and non-UConn recipients directly by entering their email addresses.
If you would instead like to generate a link to your OneDrive items, review the section at the bottom of this guide. A generated link may be posted on a webpage, while the first method below sends links directly to users.
Windows:
Once you have logged into your computer and are looking at your desktop, open File Explorer by clicking the icon, using the keyboard shortcut (Windows Key + E), or searching for it in the Start menu.
Click on OneDrive - University of Connecticut in the left-hand menu. This will show you all of your backed up files.
Navigate to the file/folder that you would like to share.
Right-click on the item and choose OneDrive then Share.
Continue at the Sharing the item section below the MacOS information.
MacOS:
Open Finder by clicking on the icon or by pressing Command + Spacebar on your keyboard and searching for Finder.
Click on OneDrive in the left column.
Find the folder/file that you would like to share and right-click on it.
Choose the OneDrive Share option.
Continue below.
Sharing the item:
Type in the email of the user(s) you want to share with.
Click on the Pencil icon to alter their permissions on the file/folder.
If you want them to only have view access (they cannot edit the file(s), choose Can view
If you want them to be able to edit the file(s), choose Can edit
Click Send
Remember: this will email the user(s) a link to the shared file/folder, it is not emailing them the file(s) itself.
Doing this helps with version control of Microsoft365 files (Word, Excel, etc.). When the user opens the file, you are both editing the same file, while changes are saved to a single file on your OneDrive. If you are working on the file at the same time, you will see updates as they are typed.
Animated Instructions
Extra: Generating a link to the items
Follow this section when you need to post a link to your items, rather than sending them directly to recipients.
Find the items you would like to share by following the instructions above.
In the Copy link section of the popup window, click on the text below “Copy link” to open the sharing settings.
Anyone with the link will create a public link that anyone can click on and use
Use a password if the files are in any way sensitive.
You may also set the link to expire on a certain day. This will only stop the sharing and will not effect the file(s). Only you will be able to access the file(s) after this date.
People in University of Connecticut with the link is similar to the previous option, however the recipients will need to sign into their UConn Microsoft365 account to access the file(s).
People with existing access can be thought of sending a reminder/notification to the recipients since they already have access.
Next, look at the Other settings portion:
Can edit allows those who click on the link the ability to edit the file(s)
Can view allows those who click on the link only view access; they cannot edit the file(s)
Then you will see Block download as a final option. When sharing files online, always remember that restricting downloads isn’t always a foolproof security tool.
For example, if you share a word document, even with view-only access, a user may simply highlight all of the text and copy-paste it into their own document. The user hasn’t downloaded a file from you, but they have obtained its information.
If you send the link to specific recipients, they cannot share the link without your permission. You will receive an email message with a request to share the file with others and have the option to accept or decline.
Extra: Using the website to generate a link to items in my OneDrive
Navigate to https://uconn-my.sharepoint.com/ and sign in with your UConn email address and NetID password.
Click on My Files in the left-hand menu
Find the item (file or folder) that you would like to share.
Right click on the item(s) and choose Copy link
Now follow the instructions above!