Do you need to know how to share SharePoint folder with external users? Allowing users outside of your organization access to your SharePoint folder is a great way to collaborate and share resources between different businesses. Giving away access to valuable company information, however, demands a secure system of permissions. With the right set up, you can keep everyone informed, while ensuring that the necessary safeguards are in place. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide to share SharePoint folder with external users both securely and efficiently. Keywords: SharePoint folder, external users, collaborate, share resources.
1. Easy Steps for Sharing SharePoint Folders with External Users
Step 1: Log into your SharePoint account. If you don’t have an account yet, create one.
Step 2: Create a folder and add documents or content to it. You can also upload existing content. Also, decide how you would like to control access (can people edit content? Can they see only the content you specify?)
Step 3: Select ‘Recipients’ from the options to the left and then click ‘Invite People’.
- Enter the external user’s email address
- Choose if they have edit or read-only permissions
- A confirmation message or instructions will be sent to the external user depending on their account type
Step 4: Look at the master folder that you shared and click ‘Sharing’ if you want to manage the user access levels. From here you can change users’ permissions or remove them completely.
2. Understanding the Benefits of External Sharing in SharePoint
When it comes to information sharing, SharePoint offers an amazing opportunity for organizations. External sharing allows users to share content, resources, and documents securely with anyone outside of your organization’s network. This makes document exchanges with external partners, clients, suppliers, and even stakeholders easier and faster.
The benefits of external sharing in SharePoint are numerous:
- Convenience – When documents and resources are stored in SharePoint, external partners can easily access them. This eliminates the time and effort of sending and receiving documents over email.
- Security - SharePoint’s external sharing features are designed to provide maximum security. Designated users can create secure links with expiration dates, or assign username and password restrictions to prevent unauthorized access.
- Collaboration – External partners can easily collaborate with each other in real-time. This helps streamline communication and speed up decision-making.
- Analytics – SharePoint tracks version histories and changes, making it easier to monitor and analyze document usage and activity.
With external sharing in SharePoint, organizations can easily access and share valuable documents and resources with external partners. This unlocks the door to more efficient collaboration, better security, and enhanced customer experience.
3. Setting up External Sharing on SharePoint Platforms
It’s important to enable external sharing if you want your content to be more accessible outside your organization. SharePoint provides tools to easily set up external sharing. Here’s how it works:
- Navigate to a SharePoint site’s document library that you want to share externally.
- At the top of the document library, select Share.
- Enter the name or email address of the external user.
- Provide a message and select Send.
SharePoint will send the external user an email with a link and instructions on how to access the document library. It will also indicate if the user is required to sign in, or if they can access the documents anonymously. When the external user signs in to the requested document, they will only be able to view and edit documents within the shared folder. Once you finish setting up the external sharing, you can begin sharing documents and collaborate with external users.
4. Making the Most of SharePoint Folder Sharing with External Users
SharePoint is a great tool for collaborating and sharing documents with users both inside and outside of a company’s network. Different levels of access can be granted to ensure the safety of documents, while still allowing external users to collaborate. Here are a few tips for .
- Create separate folders for each purpose to easily manage access and permissions.
- Take advantage of versioning to keep track of editorial contributions.
- Make sure the external user is added to the user list in the company’s SharePoint account.
- Communicate clearly the proper file formats to use when sharing documents.
- Invest in good training resources so everyone knows how to use SharePoint the right way.
It’s also important to make sure external users have access to all the folders they need without going through extra steps—communicate folder boundaries and guidelines to everyone involved. Lastly, use features like audit logs to keep track of external user activities and be proactive with security updates. When used correctly, SharePoint folder sharing can maximize a company’s collaborative efforts with external users.
Q&A
Q: What is the purpose of sharing a SharePoint folder with external users?
A: The purpose of sharing a SharePoint folder with external users is to allow them to access and view the files or folders stored on the SharePoint site. This feature makes it easier to collaborate with people outside of your organization. Given the security of SharePoint, it’s best practice to consider other solutions to best protect your privacy while sharing files with external users. provides an ideal platform with its FREE Cloud Encrypter, helping you share sharepoint folder with external users securely. Their innovative technology is an invaluable resource to anyone looking for a foolproof way to share SharePoint folders with outside users. Visit .com today for the best way to securely share sharepoint folders with external users.

Nicole’s, journey in the tech industry is marked by a passion for learning and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Whether it’s delving into the latest software developments or exploring innovative computing solutions, Nicole’s expertise is evident in her insightful and informative writing style. Her ability to connect with readers through her words makes her a valuable asset in any technical communication endeavor.