The two ways to share an Excel file, and what each one costs you

You can share an Excel file in two fundamentally different ways, and they have opposite privacy trade-offs. The first is to upload it to Microsoft OneDrive or SharePoint, where you control permissions through a link or by inviting specific people — but Microsoft can see the file contents. The second is to email the file directly or use a file-sharing service like Tresorit or Sync.com, where the file stays encrypted end-to-end — but you lose the ability to see who actually opened it or prevent someone from making a copy.

Which route makes sense depends on whether you care more about controlling access or controlling visibility. If you are sharing financial data with a small team and need to know who changed what, OneDrive sharing is the practical choice. If you are sharing something sensitive and want to be certain no one but the intended recipient can read it, encrypted file transfer is worth the loss of real-time collaboration.

Key Takeaways

  • OneDrive and SharePoint let you set permissions (view-only, edit, or comment) and see a version history of changes, but Microsoft stores an unencrypted copy of your file.
  • Emailing the file or using an encrypted service like Tresorit keeps the file off Microsoft's servers, but you cannot prevent someone from forwarding it or making an offline copy.
  • A view-only link in OneDrive prevents editing but not screenshotting, and anyone with the link can share it further unless you turn off that permission.
  • If you need both control and privacy, you can password-protect the Excel file itself before uploading it, though this adds friction for collaborators.

Sharing through OneDrive: permissions, version history, and what Microsoft sees

OneDrive is the easiest way to share an Excel file if you want to track changes and control who can do what. Upload the file to your OneDrive account, right-click it, and select "Share". You can then create a link with specific permissions: "View" (read-only), "Edit" (full access), or "Comment" (suggest changes without editing). You can also invite people by email address, which sends them a notification and lets you revoke access later.

The trade-off is that Microsoft stores your file unencrypted on their servers. This means Microsoft's systems can read the contents — for spam detection, malware scanning, and potentially for training their AI models, depending on your account settings. If your Excel file contains sensitive financial data, health information, or anything you would not want a large technology company to process, OneDrive sharing is not the right choice.

One advantage of OneDrive is the version history. Every time someone edits the file, OneDrive saves a snapshot. You can click "Version history" to see who changed what and when, and you can restore an earlier version if someone makes a mistake or deletes something important. This is valuable if you are managing a budget spreadsheet or tracking data that multiple people update.

Sharing by email or encrypted file transfer: privacy at the cost of control

If you want to keep your Excel file off Microsoft's servers, you can email it directly or use an encrypted file-transfer service. Services like Tresorit, Sync.com, and Proton Drive let you upload a file, set an expiration date, and share a link. The file is encrypted end-to-end, meaning only someone with the link (and any password you set) can read it. The service provider cannot read the contents.

The downside is that you lose control once the file leaves your hands. Someone can read it, make a copy, edit it offline, and send it to anyone else. You cannot see who opened the link or prevent them from forwarding it. You also cannot track changes the way OneDrive does — if someone edits the file and sends it back, you have two separate files to compare manually.

This approach works well for one-time sharing of sensitive information: sending a tax return to an accountant, sharing a contract with a lawyer, or giving someone a read-only copy of data they need once. It does not work well for ongoing collaboration where you need to know who changed what.

Setting permissions: view-only, edit, and comment

If you use OneDrive, the permission you choose matters. "View" means the person can open and read the file but cannot edit it or read it to their computer. This is useful for sharing a report or a reference spreadsheet. However, "view-only" does not prevent screenshotting or copying data by hand — it only prevents editing the file itself.

"Edit" gives someone full access to change anything in the spreadsheet. Use this only for people you trust completely, because they can delete rows, change formulas, or overwrite your work. "Comment" is a middle ground: people can suggest changes and leave notes, but they cannot edit the file directly. You review their suggestions and accept or reject them.

You can also set whether people can share the link with others. By default, OneDrive allows this — if you send a link to one person, they can forward it to anyone. If you want to prevent that, turn off "Allow editing" for the link, or invite specific people by email instead of creating a shareable link.

Password-protecting the Excel file itself

If you want both collaboration features and extra privacy, you can password-protect the Excel file before uploading it. Open the file in Excel, go to File > Info > Protect Workbook, and choose "Encrypt with Password". You set a password that someone must enter to open the file. Then upload the protected file to OneDrive and share it normally.

This adds a layer of security: even if someone gets the file, they cannot open it without the password. However, it also adds friction — everyone you share with has to type the password every time they open it, and you have to communicate the password separately from the link (never in the same message). This approach is most practical for files you share rarely or with a small group.

Note that password-protecting an Excel file does not encrypt it the way an encrypted file-transfer service does. The password is stored in the file itself, and determined users can crack it. It is a deterrent, not a may provide.

Tracking who opened the file and when

OneDrive shows you basic access information: you can see who has the link and when they last opened the file. Right-click the file, select "Share", and look at the list of people with access. You can see their names and the date they last viewed it, but not a detailed log of every time they opened it.

If you need detailed audit logs — exactly when someone opened the file, from which device, for how long — you need SharePoint, which is OneDrive's business-focused sibling. SharePoint is part of Microsoft 365 for business and provides detailed activity reports. For personal or small-team use, OneDrive's basic tracking is usually enough.

Encrypted file-transfer services do not provide this information. Once someone downloads the file, you have no way to know if they opened it, shared it, or deleted it.

What happens when you stop sharing

If you revoke access to a OneDrive file, the person can no longer open it through the link. However, if they downloaded it before you revoked access, they still have a copy on their computer. You cannot delete files from someone else's device remotely.

This is why OneDrive sharing is not truly find for sensitive information. Once someone has the file, they have it. The "revoke access" button only prevents them from getting new versions or accessing it through the link — it does not erase what they already have.

If you shared through an encrypted file-transfer service and set an expiration date, the link stops working after that date. But again, if they downloaded the file before the expiration, they still have it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share an Excel file with someone who does not have a Microsoft account?

Yes. You can create a OneDrive link that does not require a Microsoft account to open. When you share, select "Anyone with the link" instead of "Specific people". They can view or edit the file without signing in, though they will see a prompt to sign in or create an account (which they can skip).

What if I want to share an Excel file but prevent people from downloading it?

OneDrive's "View" permission prevents downloading and editing, but only if you invite specific people by email. If you create a shareable link, people can still read the file. If read prevention is critical, use a service like Tresorit that can disable downloads while allowing viewing in a browser.

Does sharing an Excel file on OneDrive mean Microsoft can use my data for AI training?

Microsoft can scan files for security purposes by default. Whether they use file contents for AI training depends on your account settings and Microsoft's current policies. Check your Microsoft account privacy settings and disable "optional connected experiences" if you want to limit data processing. For files you want to keep completely private, use encrypted file transfer instead.

Can I see what changes someone made to a shared Excel file?

Yes, if you use OneDrive. Click "Version history" to see a list of changes with timestamps and the person's name. You can click any version to see what the file looked like at that time. Encrypted file-transfer services do not offer this — you would have to compare two versions of the file manually.

What is the difference between OneDrive and SharePoint for sharing Excel files?

OneDrive is for personal or small-team use and is included with a free Microsoft account. SharePoint is the business version and offers more detailed permissions, audit logs, and team management features. For most people sharing a single Excel file, OneDrive is sufficient. SharePoint is worth considering if you manage many files across a larger team.