OneDrive & SharePoint — File Management, Sharing & Collaboration

OneDrive & SharePoint — File Management, Sharing & Collaboration

OneDrive for Business and SharePoint are Microsoft 365's cloud storage and collaboration services. This guide explains how to upload, organise, and share files, how to set up the sync client on Windows and Mac, and how to use SharePoint as a team file hub — including troubleshooting common sync and sharing issues.

OneDrive vs SharePoint — Which Should You Use?

OneDrive — Getting Started

Accessing OneDrive

• Browser: go to onedrive.com and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account, or visit office.com and click the OneDrive icon.
• Windows: OneDrive is built into Windows 10/11. Click the cloud icon in the system tray to access your files.
• Mac: Download the OneDrive app from the Mac App Store.
• Mobile: Download the Microsoft OneDrive app from the App Store or Google Play.

Uploading files and folders

1. In the OneDrive browser view, click + New to create a new file or folder, or click Upload to upload from your device.
2. Drag and drop files directly into the browser window for quick uploads.
3. To upload a folder with its contents, click Upload → Folder.

Organising files

• Create folders by clicking + New → Folder.
• Right-click any file to rename, move, copy, or delete it.
• Use the Details panel (right-hand side) to add tags and see version history.

Sharing Files and Folders

Share with specific people

1. Right-click the file or folder → click Share.
2. In the sharing dialogue, enter the recipient's email address.
3. Choose the permission level: Can edit or Can view.
4. Add an optional message and click Send. The recipient receives an email with a link.

Create a shareable link

1. Right-click the file → Share → Copy link.
2. Click Anyone with the link to open the link settings.
3. Choose who can access the link:
   • Anyone — public (use with caution)
   • People in [your organisation] — internal only
   • Specific people — recipients you name
4. Set an expiry date and optionally a password, then click Apply and copy the link.

Setting sharing permissions as an admin

By default, links can be shared externally. Admins can restrict this:

1. Go to the Microsoft 365 admin centre → SharePoint (or visit the SharePoint admin centre directly).
2. Click Policies → Sharing.
3. Set the external sharing level for OneDrive and SharePoint (from Anyone to Only people in your organisation).
4. Click Save.

Setting Up the OneDrive Sync Client

The sync client keeps your OneDrive and SharePoint files available offline on your Windows PC or Mac.

Windows

1. The OneDrive sync client is built into Windows 10/11. If it is not running, search for OneDrive in the Start menu and open it.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
3. Choose the folders you want to sync locally. Click Next → Open my OneDrive folder.
4. Files appear in File Explorer under OneDrive – [Your Organisation].

Mac

1. Download OneDrive from the Mac App Store.
2. Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
3. Select folders to sync and click Start sync.
4. Files appear in Finder under OneDrive – [Your Organisation].

Syncing a SharePoint library

1. Navigate to the SharePoint document library in your browser.
2. Click Sync in the toolbar.
3. Your browser will prompt you to open OneDrive. Click Open.
4. The library syncs to your desktop under the organisation name in File Explorer or Finder.

Version History & File Recovery

View and restore previous versions

1. Right-click a file in OneDrive or SharePoint → Version history.
2. A list of saved versions appears with timestamps.
3. Click a version to preview it, or click Restore to roll back to that version.

Recover deleted files

1. In OneDrive or SharePoint, click Recycle bin in the left panel.
2. Tick the file(s) to recover and click Restore.
3. Items remain in the recycle bin for 93 days before permanent deletion.

SharePoint — Team Site Basics

Creating a SharePoint site

1. Go to office.com → click SharePoint.
2. Click + Create site.
3. Choose Team site (for internal collaboration) or Communication site (for announcements/intranet).
4. Enter a site name and description. Choose Private (members only) or Public (all org members can join).
5. Add site members and click Finish.

Document libraries

• Every SharePoint site has a default Documents library. You can create additional libraries for different file types or departments.
• Click + New → Document library to add one.
• Set column metadata to make files easier to filter and find (e.g. add a "Department" column).

Managing site permissions

1. Click the settings cog → Site permissions.
2. Use Share site to invite individuals or groups.
3. For granular control, click Advanced permissions settings to manage permission groups directly.

Troubleshooting

Files not syncing on Windows or Mac

• Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar/menu bar and check for error messages.
• Try pausing and resuming sync: right-click the cloud icon → Pause syncing → Resume syncing.
• Reset OneDrive: open Run (Win + R), type %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset and press Enter. Re-open OneDrive after 2 minutes.
• Files paths longer than 260 characters cannot sync. Shorten folder names or move files to a shorter path.

Cannot share files externally

• Your admin may have restricted external sharing. Check the SharePoint admin centre → Policies → Sharing.
• Confirm the file is not in a site with stricter sharing settings than the organisation default.

"You need permission to access this" error

• The person sharing must grant access. Ask them to resend the share, or ask a SharePoint site owner to add you to the site permissions.

Storage quota exceeded

• Go to OneDrive → click your name (top-right) → OneDrive settings → More settings to see storage usage.
• Delete large files from the recycle bin to free space. Recycle bin items count toward your quota.
• Admins can increase a user's OneDrive quota in the SharePoint admin centre: Active sites → select OneDrive URL → Storage.

Related Guides

• Getting Started with Microsoft 365
• Managing Users in Microsoft 365
• Distribution Lists & Microsoft 365 Groups
• Microsoft 365 Security — MFA, Passwords & Account Protection

Need Help?

Need help setting this up? We can manage your Microsoft 365 for you — from setup to ongoing support.

Find out more about our Microsoft 365 managed service →