The 10 Most Common Sharing Mistakes in Microsoft 365 – And How to Avoid Them

Sharing files in Microsoft 365 sounds straightforward, but for most people it’s anything but simple. One wrong link type, one file in the wrong location, or one accidental permission setting can cause unnecessary stress, confusion, and even security risks. In most cases, these frustrations aren’t caused by the technology itself—they come from not understanding how the sharing model works or when to use each option. Once people understand the logic behind Microsoft 365 sharing, the entire process becomes easier, faster, and far more reliable.

Below are the ten most common mistakes that lead to sharing issues across organisations, along with practical guidance on how to avoid them.

1. Using “Copy Link” Instead of “Share”

This is the single most common sharing mistake in Microsoft 365. Although “Copy Link” feels like the quickest option, it automatically uses the existing permissions of the file or library. If the file is stored somewhere with broad access, the link may end up giving far more people access than intended.

By contrast, the Share button allows you to choose exactly who needs the link and what level of access they should have. Using “Share → Specific People” gives you full control and eliminates most accidental oversharing.

2. Sending Attachments Instead of Sharing the File

Sending a document as an email attachment instantly creates multiple versions. Every person who edits the attachment now has a separate file, and those changes never merge. Before long, teams end up comparing conflicting versions, recreating work, or trying to determine which file is the “real” one.

Sharing a link to the live document stored in SharePoint or Teams ensures that everyone works in the correct version from the start.

3. Sharing Files from OneDrive When the Team Should Own Them

OneDrive is intended for personal storage, drafts, and work-in-progress—not for files that a team needs to collaborate on regularly. When people share files from their personal OneDrive, access becomes tied to the individual rather than the team. If someone changes roles or leaves the organisation, the file may become inaccessible.

Moving the file to the appropriate SharePoint site or Team before sharing ensures the right people always have access.

4. Using “Anyone with the Link” for Sensitive Information

The “Anyone with the link” setting removes all authentication and allows the file to be opened by anyone who receives the link, even if it is forwarded. Although this link type has legitimate uses — such as sharing a low-risk document widely — it is unsuitable for internal information or anything sensitive.

For most scenarios, “Specific People” is the safest and most controlled option.

5. Granting Edit Access When View Access Would Suffice

Many users unknowingly share files with “Can Edit” enabled because it is the default in many contexts. This leads to accidental edits, changes to formatting, deleted content, or unwanted revisions—all of which create unnecessary rework.

Choosing “Can View” unless someone genuinely needs to make changes preserves document integrity and reduces errors.

6. Sharing the Wrong Version of a File

Because many teams maintain multiple versions of the same document, it’s easy to share a link to an outdated version. This leads to confusion, duplicated effort, and mistakes that ripple through a project.

The best solution is to maintain one authoritative file in SharePoint and rely on Version History when you need to restore earlier drafts.

7. Forgetting to Remove Access When It’s No Longer Needed

Access tends to accumulate over time. People join projects, move roles, or complete tasks—and their access remains indefinitely. This leads to unnecessary risk and bloated permission lists.

Using Manage Access to review and update permissions periodically, along with using expiration dates for external sharing, dramatically improves long-term security.

8. Sharing Entire Folders Instead of a Single File

Folder-level sharing seems convenient but often gives people access to far more content than they should see. It also becomes harder to track what has been shared and with whom.

Sharing the specific file—rather than the entire folder—keeps access limited to exactly what is needed.

9. Sharing from the Wrong Site or Team

It’s surprisingly easy to save or open files from the wrong location, especially when multiple libraries are synced or when AutoSave is enabled. Sharing from the wrong site leads to confusion over ownership, access issues, and misplaced files.

A quick glance at the file path before sharing helps confirm that the file is in the correct site or team.

10. Not Checking the Link Type Before Sending

Microsoft 365 offers several link types—Specific People, People in your organisation, People with existing access, and Anyone with the link. Each behaves differently and affects who can open the link.

Taking a moment to check the link setting before clicking “Send” eliminates many of the access issues teams experience.