Microsoft 365 Help Create a shared folder for your team
Invite named colleagues to the same cloud folder.
Before you start
- You own the folder or have sharing permission.
- Know the intended colleagues’ work email addresses.
Follow these steps
-
Choose the right location
Open work OneDrive > My files. For permanent team records, use the company SharePoint library specified by the office instead.
-
Create the folder
Select Add new or New > Folder. Enter the project name, create it, then upload only the documents that belong in that shared folder.
-
Select the folder
Go back to its parent location. Click the circle or checkbox beside the folder’s name, then select Share from the toolbar or … menu.
-
Set the audience
Open the link-settings gear or current access description. Choose Specific people, then Apply if shown.
-
Set the permission
Choose Can view for readers or Can edit for staff who must update the documents. The option may be beside the recipients or inside link settings.
-
Add colleagues
Enter each full work email address, select the correct suggested contact, and check all selected recipients. Include a short explanation of the folder.
-
Send the invitation
Click Send. Ask one colleague to open the link in their work account. Colleagues can use the invitation or their OneDrive Shared view to find it later.
-
Review access
Select the folder again and open Manage access, directly from the menu or through Details. Review people, groups and links; remove only the intended grant if access needs to change.
You have finished when…
- A colleague can open the folder using their work email and the expected permission.
Helpful tips
- The entire shared folder and its contents are affected by the permission you grant.
- People with existing access creates a link for current access; it does not add new permission.
- Removing one link does not remove access from another link, a group or the parent site. Ask the owner if the permission is inherited.
Something looks different?
The folder still appears private after creating it.
Creating a folder does not automatically share it. Complete the Share invitation and check Manage access.
A colleague cannot find it under My files.
A folder shared by someone else may be under Shared, or accessible through the invitation. It is not automatically their own folder.
Microsoft help & further guidance
Menu names can change as Microsoft updates the apps. These official pages include further instructions.