View and Adjust Permissions on Shared Files and Folders (Sharepoint/Microsoft Teams)

In Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams, it's possible to set custom permissions so that appropriate people can have the appropriate access files and folders.

The following sets of instructions provide examples of the type of options that are available, and a step-by-step guide on how to accomplish each desired result.

Use the links below to quickly jump to a section in this article:

Get Started: Navigate to your SharePoint Site

In order to make the changes below, you'll need to navigate to the SharePoint site where the file or folder in question is located. Here's how to do that: 

• From Microsoft Teams:
  
  1. Select any channel in from your Microsoft Team
  2. Select the Files tab near the top of the window
  3. Select Open in SharePoint from the toolbar. This will open the SharePoint site in your web browser.
      
• From OneDrive
  
  1. Open Your OneDrive
  2. Select the Shared Library you'd like to change permissions on in the left-hand sidebar.
  3. Select Go to site in the upper right-hand corner of the page. This will open the SharePoint site in a new tab.

Scenario #1: Share with a Group or another Microsoft Team

Sometimes it's useful to share folders with another group of people, instead of sharing to individual people. When the membership of that group or team is changed, the access rights to your file or folder will be automatically updated. 

1. Navigate to the Manage Access pane for this file:
   
   1. From the Sharepoint Site, choose the file or folder you'd like to change access rights for. 
   2. Select the 3-dot menu from beside the file or folder name
   3. Select Manage Access from the menu that appears. 
2. From the Manage Access pane, add a Microsoft Team or Directory Group to the access rights for this file or folder:
   
   1. Select the plus sign next to Direct Access
   2. Type in the name of the group that you'd like to have access to this file into the search bar. Select the appropriate group, and then select whether you'd like the group to be able to Edit or View the file or folder you're managing.
      Un-check the box next to Notify people if you don't want people to get an email about this change to their access rights. 
      Note: Email notifications will not work for groups unless they are associated with a Microsoft Team. As an alternative, use the Copy Link function in SharePoint to point people to the shared resource. 
   3. Select Grant Access to complete the process. 

Scenario #2: Make a file or folder read-only

It's useful to be able to make specific folders read-only for non-owner members of a Microsoft Team or SharePoint Site. Follow the instructions below to accomplish this: 

1. Navigate to the Manage Access pane for this file (see Scenario #1 for detailed instructions)
2. Under Direct Access, select the dropdown menu next to the entry labelled with <Team Name> Members.
3. Select Can View from the menu that appears. This folder or file is now no longer editable by anyone who is not an owner of the Team or SharePoint Site