How to Share to Microsoft Teams Folders and Files with External Users

This article provides a step-by-step guide for sharing a Microsoft Teams folder with external users, covering the entire process from folder selection to customizing permissions. It also includes best practices for recipients to ensure a smooth and secure access experience.

Steps for Sharing a Microsoft Teams Folder

This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to share a Microsoft Teams folder with an external user outside of the Colorado School of Mines organization. It also includes best practices to ensure a smooth and secure sharing experience.

Contents

1. Access Teams via Web Browser
2. Access Teams via Application
3. Locate the Folder
4. Share the Folder
5. Customize and Send
6. Experience from the Sender's Perspective
7. Experience from the Recipient's Perspective
8. Best Practices for Recipients
9. Troubleshooting

Access Teams via Web Browser

1. Open your web browser and navigate to Microsoft Teams.
2. Log in with your Mines credentials.
   

Access Teams via Application

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app and select the specific team where your files are stored.

Locate the Folder

1. Navigate to the folder you wish to share.
   
2. Hover over the folder to highlight it.

Share the Folder

1. While hovering over the folder, click on the Share button.
   
2. In the sharing dialog box, click on the Link Settings (Gear Icon) button and then select People You Choose.
   
    
   
3. Set the permission level (More Settings) (e.g., Can edit or Can view).
   
4. (Optional) Set an expiration date for when this content will no longer be available to the recipient.
   
5. Hit Apply to move on to the next step.

Customize and Send

1. Enter the email address of the external user(s) you want to share the folder with.
   
2. Add a personal message if desired, explaining why this content is being shared or any instructions you wish the recipient(s) to follow.
   
3. Confirm that all link settings are correct.
4. Click Send.

Experience from the Sender's Perspective

1. Once you click Send, the recipient will receive an email invitation to access the shared folder.
2. You can manage the shared folder by navigating to the People With Existing Access section in the Sharing dialog box to adjust permissions or stop sharing if necessary.
   

Experience from the Recipient's Perspective

Accepting the Share

1. The recipient will receive an email invitation with a link to the shared folder. 
   
2. Before accepting the invitation, log out of any existing Microsoft accounts before opening shared folders:
   
3. Right-click the "Open" button and select the option for "private browser" or "incognito tab" 
    
4. Follow prompts to verify identity, use the same email address as the sender:
    
5. Check your email for the verification code, copy that into the requested field. Select the checkbox "Keep me Signed In"
    
6. Return to each individual email to accept each invitation received. 
7. If you receive an error during this process, contact your on-campus collaborator, or submit an IT Service Request.

Best Practices for Recipients

Before clicking the invitation link:

1. Log Out of Open Microsoft Apps: Ensure you are logged out of any Microsoft apps or accounts before accepting the shared folder link.
2. Use a Private Browser: Open the link in a private or incognito browser window to avoid conflicts with any logged-in accounts.
3. Accept each invitation link: If you received multiple invitations by email, accept the invite to each folder (click the “open folder” button to accept each invite individually).
4. Verify Permissions: if experiencing issues, folder owner should review the permissions to ensure they match the intended collaborators and access levels.

Troubleshooting

• If the recipient encounters access issues, they should clear their browser history or try a different browser.
• Ensure that the recipient’s email address was entered correctly and that they are using the appropriate Microsoft account.
• Ensure that the recipient is logged into the Microsoft Account that is tied to the email address in which the share invite was sent to.