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Simplify your workflow with others by collaborating on files in Microsoft Teams. Share them to allow others to view and edit them with you (editing in Visio requires a license).

Share a file in Teams

Work on files together by sharing them with members of your team using OneDrive in Teams. To share a file from OneDrive:

  1. In Teams, go to OneDrive  OneDrive Personal cloud icon> My Files.

  2. Find the file you want to share.

  3. Hover over the file and select Share  Share icon.

    1. Enter the name, group, or email you want to send your file to.

    2. Add an optional message to give the recipient context.

    3. Select Sharing settings  Settings icon to change file permissions.

    4. Select Copy link  Forms Link button to copy the file link to your clipboard.

  4. Select Send  Send button.

Your files library in channels

Within each team there are channels. Channels are a place for your entire team to discuss specific topics, like learning resources or project updates. Each channel has its own file folder where you can share files for that specific channel.

To access the Files folder:

  1. Go to Teams in Teams.

  2. Select Files at the top of the channel.

Note: Make sure to use the Files tab at the top of the channel conversation window instead of the Files button on the left side of the app. The Files tab in a channel will show you files specific to that channel.

Upload a file 

Upload a file to OneDrive

To upload a file to OneDrive in Teams:

  1. Open Teams for desktop and select OneDrive  OneDrive Personal cloud icon.

  2. In OneDrive, select Add new  Plus sign icon > Files upload.

  3. Select the file and select Open.

The file will automatically upload to your OneDrive.

Upload a file to a channel

To upload a file to a channel in Teams:

  • Drag and drop the file from where it's currently located into the Teams window among the files. 

  • Select Upload,then select the file (or files) you'd like to upload, and select Open.

Any files you upload will be accessible by any member of your team. 

Create a file

To create a new file in Teams:

  1. In Teams, go to OneDrive  OneDrive Personal cloud icon.

  2. Select Add new  Plus sign icon.

  3. Choose the type of file you want to create.

  4. Enter a name for the file and select Create.

  5. The new file will open for you to start editing Teams.

Note: Linux users won't be able to open files with the desktop Office app.

Collaborate in a file

Upload or share a file to allow others to access and edit it with you.

To share a file and start collaborating with others:

  1. In Teams, go to OneDrive OneDrive Personal cloud icon.

  2. Find the file you want to share.

  3. Hover over the file and select Share  Share icon.

    1. Add the name, group, or email you want to share the file and collaborate with.

    2. Select Sharing settings  Settings icon and choose your file's sharing permissions. By default, whomever you share the file with will have editing access.

      Note: To share with someone outside your org, select People you choose from Sharing settings  Settings icon. Then, select Apply and add their email to share.


      To change editing permissions, select Can edit  Fluent 2 edit icon small. From the dropdown menu:

      • Select Can review to allow others to review and suggest changes but not edit directly.

      • Select Can view to allow others to view the file without making any changes or suggestions.

  4. Select Apply to save changes.

  5. Select Send Send button.

Note: Linux users won't be able to open files with the desktop Office app and will need to use Office for the web.

Your files library

Within each team there are channels. Think of these channels as a place for your entire team to discuss a specific topic, like upcoming training, or project updates. Each channel has its own file folder where you can share files for that specific channel. To access that folder go to the channel and select the Files tab above the conversation window.

The files library lets you collaborate on files with your team

Note: Make sure to use the Files tab at the top of the channel conversation window instead of the Files button on the left side of the app. That button gives you access to ALL of your cloud files, rather than just the files for a specific channel.

In the library you can upload existing files or create new ones. When you upload a file, it creates a copy in Teams.

Upload existing files

There are two primary ways to upload existing files into your library. Both methods start by going to the files folder for your channel and both methods, by default, upload copies of your files to the channel file folder.

  • Drag and drop - Using your mouse, drag the file from where it's currently located and drop it on the Teams window among the files. 

  • Upload - Select Upload,then select the file (or files) you'd like to upload, and select Open.

Any files you upload will be accessible by any member of your team. And just like in SharePoint, you can pin specific files to the top of your list for easy access.

Create a file

To create a Word, PowerPoint, or Excel document in Teams, select New, then select the kind of file you'd like to create. The new file will open in Teams so you can begin editing it, and if you'd prefer to work in the desktop version of the app, select Open in Desktop App at the top of the app, in the middle of the ribbon.

As soon as it's created your new file will be available for your team members to edit as well.

Note: Linux users won't be able to open files with the desktop Office app.

Co-edit a file

Files uploaded and shared to a team are accessible to every member of the Team. In Microsoft 365 for the web, Office for Android or iOS, or the latest applications from Microsoft 365, you and your team members can co-edit Word, PowerPoint, or Excel documents, or comment on Visio files. No need to check files out or worry about if one of your colleagues has the document open. Just open the file you need to edit and if other team members are editing it too your changes will be seamlessly merged as you work.

Share with people outside your team

If the file is a Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Visio file, the easiest way to share it is to open the file in its corresponding Microsoft 365 for the web or desktop app. Select Share at the top right corner of the window. From there enter the aliases or email addresses of people you want to email the file link, or select Copy Link to choose where you share the link.

Share icon and dialog box in Excel

Important: To share with someone outside your team you'll have to open the file in Microsoft 365 for the web or Office desktop app.

If you want to share with people outside your organization you may have to select the permissions drop-down (right above where you add the people you want to share with) and select that Specific People can access the file.

Use the link settings dialog to specify permissions for a sharing link

Once you've shared the file, those users can edit the file in real time (unless you unchecked Allow editing in the Link Settings dialog) just like the other members of your team can.

Note: Linux users won't be able to open files with the desktop Office app and will need to use Office for the web.

See also

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