Sharing Large Files with External Contacts via OneDrive¶

When a file is too large to attach to an email, OneDrive lets you upload it once and send a secure link instead. This guide walks through setting up an organised folder structure and generating a shareable link for someone outside the company.

What you need¶

• Your M365 account (yourname@questcominc.com)
• The file(s) you want to share
• The recipient's email address

Step 1 — Open OneDrive on the web¶

1. Open Chrome and go to https://onedrive.microsoft.cloud.
2. Sign in with your your.name@questcominc.com account if prompted.

Step 2 — Create a "Shared" folder¶

Keeping shared files in a dedicated folder makes it easy to manage links and tidy up later.

1. In the left sidebar, click My files.
   
2. Click + Create or upload and select Folder.
   
3. Name the folder Shared and click Create.
   

Step 3 — Create a client subfolder¶

1. Double-click the Shared folder you just created to open it.
   
2. Click + Create or upload → Folder.
   
3. Name the folder after the client or recipient (e.g. Acme Corp) and click Create.
   
4. Double-click that subfolder to open it.

Step 4 — Upload the file(s)¶

1. Inside the client subfolder, click + New → Files upload
   — or drag and drop files directly from your desktop into the browser window.
2. Wait for the upload to finish. A progress bar appears in the bottom-right corner.

Step 5 — Create a sharing link¶

1. Hover over the file you want to share and click the circle checkbox to select it.
2. In the toolbar at the top, click Share.
   
3. In the sharing panel, click Copy link at the bottom — or click the pencil icon next to People you specify can edit to change the permission level first.
   

Recommended settings for external sharing¶

1. Click Apply after adjusting settings, then click Copy link.

Step 6 — Send the link to the recipient¶

1. Paste the copied link into an email or Teams message to the recipient.
2. If you set a password, share it via a separate channel (e.g. a phone call or text message).

Managing links later¶

To update or revoke a link after sending it:

1. Navigate back to the file in OneDrive.
2. Hover over the file and click the ... (More options) menu → Manage access.
3. Under Links, click the ... (More options) next to the link and choose Remove link or Change settings.