How to See Files Shared with You in SharePoint and OneDrive
The other side of sharing: knowing what others have shared with you. The ‘Shared with me’ view consolidates everything you’ve been granted access to.
What it is
Just as OneDrive tracks files you’ve shared, it also tracks files shared with you. The ‘Shared with me’ view is the master list of every file and folder where someone else has explicitly granted you access — across the entire organisation.
This is invaluable for finding things. A colleague sent you a link three weeks ago, you can’t remember the exact filename, but you know it’s there somewhere. ‘Shared with me’ surfaces it, sorted by date, with the sharer visible. Beats searching through old emails.
It’s also useful for understanding your access footprint. Files shared with you are still in your name in audit logs — if you have access you didn’t expect, that’s worth investigating. Maybe a colleague meant to share it with someone else; maybe it’s a permissions error worth flagging.
When to use this
- Looking for a file someone shared with you recently.
- Tracking what you have access to across teams and projects.
- Identifying access you no longer need (ask the owner to remove it).
- Onboarding into a new role and reviewing what’s been shared.
How to do it
- Open OneDrive in the browser.
- In the left navigation, click Shared.
- Switch to the Shared with you view.
- Sort by date or name to find what you need.
- Click any item to open it directly.
- If you no longer need access, ask the file owner to remove you (you can’t revoke your own access in most cases).
Best practices
- Use ‘Shared with me’ as your default ‘where’s that file’ tool. Faster than searching email.
- Bookmark or favourite frequently-used shared files. Don’t re-search every time.
- Flag unexpected access. If you have access to something you shouldn’t, tell the owner.
- Don’t rely on ‘Shared with me’ for permanent access. If you need ongoing access, the file should be in a team site you’re part of, not just shared individually.
Common mistakes
- Treating ‘Shared with me’ as a comprehensive file inventory. It only includes explicit shares — files in team sites won’t appear here.
- Ignoring it. Most users never look at this view. It’s one of the most useful things in OneDrive.
- Bookmarking links without remembering the source. If the file moves or access is revoked, the bookmark breaks.
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Where do I see files that have been shared with me?
In OneDrive, click Shared in the left navigation, then the Shared with you tab. The view shows every file shared with you — internal and external — sorted by date received. Filter by Type (Documents, Spreadsheets) or by who shared it for quick scanning.
Why are some shared files not showing up in ‘Shared with you’?
If you got the file via an ‘Anyone with the link’ link (anonymous sharing), it might not appear in your Shared list because there’s no authenticated record of you as a specific recipient. Files in libraries or groups you have access to also don’t show — those are part of normal site access, not individual shares.
Can I add a shared file to my OneDrive?
Yes — open the file in OneDrive, click Add shortcut to OneDrive. A shortcut appears in your OneDrive root, so the file is accessible alongside your own files. The original stays where it was; you’re just adding a pointer. Useful for files you reference often.
How do I remove a file from ‘Shared with you’ in OneDrive?
Right-click the file in the Shared with you list and choose Remove from shared list. This removes the file from your view without affecting the share itself — the owner still has the file, and your access is unchanged. Useful for clearing clutter from old shares you no longer need to see.