FIX: 'This link has been disabled' in Teams, SharePoint or OneDrive. (Microsoft 365)
If you're getting the error "This link has been disabled" when you try to open a file from Microsoft Teams conversations or links to shared files stored in SharePoint and OneDrive, continue reading below to learn why this error occurs and how to fix it.
The errors "This link has been disabled. Sorry, access through this link has been removed by admin policy. Please contact the person who shared it with you" or "Access denied: User does not have permissions to access this resource", in MS Teams, SharePoint, or OneDrive can occur for one of the following reasons:
- User does not have permissions to view the file.
- The file has been deleted or moved.
- The link of the shared file/folder has expired.
- The owner of the shared file has intentionally revoked access to it through the specific link you are trying to open.
- External sharing to "Anyone" is not allowed on SharePoint or OneDrive by your IT administrator.
- External sharing to "Anyone" is not allowed on the SharePoint site containing the shared file, or in the user's OneDrive.
How to FIX "This link has been disabled" in SharePoint, OneDrive & Microsoft Teams (Microsoft365 /Office 365).
Step 1. Access the File Directly in OneDrive (for Users).
If a file is shared via Microsoft Teams chat, it's stored in User's OneDrive under the following path:
- https://%domain%-my.sharepoint.com/personal/acount-name
So, if you receive the error "This link has been disabled" when opening a file from the MS Teams chat window, select "OneDrive" on the left of the Teams chat window, or open OneDrive on the Web and try to open the file from there.
Step 2. Verify the File Existence with the File Owner (for Users).
Contact the person who shared the file link and ask if the file has been deleted, and if not, ask them to re-share a link to the file with permissions to view/edit it.
Step 3. FIX "This link has been disabled" in SharePoint Organization Level (for IT Admins).
The next step to solve the "This link has been disabled" error in SharePoint, OneDrive or Teams, is to change the organization-level External Sharing setting to "Anyone", in order to allow access to shared files without authentication.
1. Navigate to Office 365 Admin center and click Show all > SharePoint.
2. In SharePoint admin center click Policies > Sharing on the left and then at the right pane, under External Sharing do the following:
a. Set the SharePoint sharing level to "Anyone", to allow users to share files and folders stored in SharePoint using links that allow anyone with the link to access the files or folders without authentication.*
* Security advice: After you set the SharePoint sharing level to "Anyone," go ahead and modify the external sharing permissions on site-level {e.g. set a more restrictive permission level when sharing files stored in a specific SharePoint site (see step-4)}.
b. Set the OneDrive sharing level to "Anyone"* to allow users to share files and folders stored on their personal OneDrive folder using links that allow anyone with the link to access the shared file/folder without authentication, or to "New and existing guests"**, if you want external people to sign-in or provide an authentication code in order to access the shared file/folder.
* Notes:
1. In fact, adjusting the OneDrive external sharing level to "Anyone", will resolve the "This link is disabled" error when opening shared links/files in both SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams chat.
2. If you set the OneDrive external sharing level to "New and existing guests", people from your organization will be able to open the Microsoft Teams shared files, either through the "OneDrive" shortcut in the Microsoft Teams app (see step 1 above) or from OneDrive for the web. (Otherwise, they'll get a "This link has been disabled" error if they try to open a shared file directly from the Teams chat window.)
* Security advice: If you set the OneDrive sharing level to "Anyone", advise your users to provide more restrictive permissions when sharing links to files/folders stored in their personal OneDrive.
c. In the More external sharing settings section, make sure that guest access to a website or OneDrive doesn't automatically expire after a certain period of time.
d. Under File and folder links, select Anyone with the link
e. Select the default permission level for sharing links. (View or Edit)
f. Make sure shared links don't expire after a period of time.
3. When done, click Save to apply settings and continue to next steps.
Step 4. FIX "This link has been disabled" on SharePoint Site-level.
If you receive the error "This link has been disabled" error when trying to open a file/folder stored on a particular SharePoint site, proceed and set also the External Sharing level to "Anyone" in that particular site.
1. In SharePoint admin center, click Sites and then Active sites.
2. Select the site containing the file/folder that displays the "This link is disabled" error when other users try to access it, and click Sharing.
3. On External sharing options, ensure that "Anyone" is selected and click Save.
4. After performing the above steps, users should open links from SharePoint shared files without any issues.
Step 5. FIX "This link has been disabled" in user's OneDrive external sharing settings (for IT Admins).
If you see the error "This link has been disabled" when opening a link to a shared file or folder stored on OneDrive, go to user's OneDrive sharing settings and set the external sharing setting to "Allow Sharing with anonymous guest links and authenticated users".
1. Navigate to Office 365 Admin center > Users > Active users.
2. Click on the user that you want to modify the external sharing level.
3. Select the OneDrive tab and then choose Manage external sharing.
4. Set the external sharing permissions to "Allow Sharing with anonymous guest links and authenticated users" and click Save.
Step 6. Turn off "Restricted User Permission Lockdown" feature in the user's OneDrive settings (for Users).
If, after following the steps above, other users still receive the error "You do not have access to this file", when a file is shared via the Microsoft Teams chat window, advice the user who shared the file to deactivate the "Limited-access user permission lockdown mode"* feature on its OneDrive settings. To do that:
* Info: This is a site collection feature that helps prevent anonymous users from accessing application pages that are mostly helpful on classic, publishing-based SharePoint sites.
1. Sign in to OneDrive on the web of the user who shared the file.
2. Click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner of the screen and the open OneDrive settings.
3. Select More Settings, and then, under Features and storage, select Site Collection Features.
4. Locate Limited-access user permission lockdown mode, and then click Deactivate.
Additional help (for IT Admins):
If after following the above instructions, you unable to access files shared in Teams chats with error "This link has been disabled – You don't have access to this file", then click the below link to diagnose the problem in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
That's it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the error 'This link has been disabled' mean in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, or OneDrive?
The error indicates that access through the link has been removed by an admin policy, possibly due to insufficient permissions, a deleted or moved file, an expired link, revoked access by the owner, or restricted external sharing settings.
How can a user fix the 'This link has been disabled' error when opening a file from Microsoft Teams chat?
Users can try accessing the file directly in OneDrive by selecting 'OneDrive' on the left of the Teams chat window or opening OneDrive on the Web to see if the file is available there.
What steps can IT Admins take to resolve the 'This link has been disabled' error at the organization level?
IT Admins can change the organization-level External Sharing setting to 'Anyone' in the Office 365 Admin center to allow access to shared files without authentication. This involves setting the SharePoint and OneDrive sharing levels appropriately under the SharePoint admin center's Policies > Sharing section.
Why might someone see 'Access denied: User does not have permissions to access this resource' in SharePoint or OneDrive?
This error can occur if the user does not have the necessary permissions, the file is deleted or moved, the link is expired, access has been revoked, or external sharing settings are restrictive.
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