If you've ever needed to share a file in OneDrive or SharePoint with more than one person, you've probably ended up creating more than one link along the way — one for a colleague, another for an external contact, maybe a 'view only' version for someone else. Over time, it's easy to lose track of exactly which link went to whom.
Microsoft is changing that. A new sharing experience for OneDrive and SharePoint centres around one primary link for each file or folder — what Microsoft calls the Hero Link. Instead of juggling several different URLs, access is managed around that one link.
It's worth being clear about what this change is and isn't. This is a change to the sharing workflow — not Microsoft suddenly making files public. Links you've already created and sent out are not simply being switched off. And the new experience is not arriving for everyone at once: Microsoft's rollout begins gradually from late August 2026.
What is the new Microsoft 365 Hero Link?
The Hero Link is the primary sharing link Microsoft now associates with a file or folder in OneDrive or SharePoint. Rather than a link being a fixed, one-time snapshot of who it works for, the Hero Link separates the URL itself from the permissions sitting behind it.
In practice, that means you can share that link with someone, and later change who it works for — without necessarily having to create a completely different URL and send it round again.
For example, imagine you send a project document link to three colleagues. A few weeks later, a fourth colleague needs access too. Under the new model, you can potentially update who the existing Hero Link works for, rather than generating a brand-new link and re-sending it to everyone.
Microsoft hasn't detailed every scenario this applies to, so it's worth treating this as the general direction of the new experience rather than assuming it works identically for every type of sharing situation.
Why is Microsoft changing OneDrive and SharePoint sharing?
The problem Microsoft is trying to solve will be familiar to most Microsoft 365 users. Over time, a single document can end up with several different sharing links — one shared by email, another copied into Teams, another created for a specific external contact.
That leads to a familiar set of frustrations:
- Multiple links floating around for the same document
- Uncertainty over exactly which link was sent to which person
- Users repeatedly generating new links rather than reusing existing ones
- Confusing or inconsistent permissions between links
- Different sharing behaviour depending on whether a link is created by email, browser copy/paste, or from within Teams
Microsoft's stated aim is a more consistent sharing experience across Microsoft 365, rather than adding new features for their own sake. Whether it fully delivers on that in everyday use will become clearer once the rollout is underway.
Will my existing OneDrive and SharePoint links stop working?
No. Microsoft says existing sharing links will continue to work after the new experience arrives.
That matters more than it might first appear. Businesses typically have sharing links embedded in all sorts of places, including:
- Emails sent months or years ago
- Teams conversations and channels
- Project documentation and internal wikis
- Customer and supplier correspondence
- Internal procedures and how-to guides
- Links pasted into SharePoint pages
The introduction of Hero Links does not mean staff need to track down and resend every link currently in use. Existing links should keep working as before — the Hero Link is the new default for links created going forward, not a forced replacement for everything already out there.
Can I change who has access without sending a new link?
Yes — and this is one of the more useful aspects of the new model. Rather than treating every change in access as a reason to create a fresh URL, users can adjust who the existing Hero Link works for.
For ordinary users, the practical benefit is straightforward: fewer links to keep track of, and less need to re-share a document just because one more person needs to see it.
There's a security point worth remembering alongside that convenience, though. Changing who a link works for changes who can access the file. It's still worth pausing to think about exactly who you're granting access to, rather than assuming that adjusting a link is a purely administrative, risk-free action.
Does the Hero Link make file sharing less secure?
Not inherently, no. The security of a shared file has never really depended on how many links exist for it — it depends on who has been granted permission to open it.
The Hero Link model doesn't change that underlying principle. What it changes is how sharing is presented to users day to day. The important question is still the same one businesses should always be asking about shared content:
- Who currently has access to this file or folder?
- Is it shared internally only, or has it also been shared externally?
- Do any former employees or old guest accounts still have access?
- Was access originally intended for one specific person, or a wider group that has since grown?
- Does the business actually still need this sharing relationship to exist?
These are exactly the kinds of questions covered in our guide to checking external sharing in SharePoint and OneDrive, and our related guide on checking who has access to your Microsoft 365 files. A simpler sharing interface is welcome, but it doesn't remove the need to periodically review who can actually get into your files.
Do You Know Who Can Access Your Microsoft 365 Files?
Sharing becomes easier when permissions are clear. But over time, SharePoint and OneDrive can accumulate old guests, historic links and access that nobody has reviewed recently.
A simple sharing experience is useful, but businesses still need to know who has access to their information and whether that access is appropriate.
Check external sharing in SharePoint and OneDrive →What will users notice when the new sharing experience arrives?
Based on Microsoft's rollout information, users can expect to see:
- An updated Share dialog in OneDrive, SharePoint and related Microsoft 365 apps
- A single, primary Hero Link presented for each file or folder
- Clearer controls for managing who has access and what they can do
- In-product tutorial or onboarding messaging where Microsoft provides it
- Less emphasis on repeatedly generating separate links for different people
As with most Microsoft 365 feature rollouts, the interface change is unlikely to appear for every user on exactly the same day. Rollout can vary by platform, region and Microsoft 365 plan, so don't be surprised if colleagues see the new experience at slightly different times.
What does 'Only people added to the file' mean?
According to Microsoft's current rollout information, the new Hero Link initially uses a restrictive sharing model along the lines of 'Only people added to the file.'
In plain English, that means access is based on the specific people who have actually been granted permission — rather than the file being generally accessible to anyone who happens to have the link.
The key message for everyday users is simple: having a link does not automatically mean someone has permission to open the file. Someone still needs to have been added with appropriate access for the Hero Link to work for them.
It's worth noting this isn't necessarily identical in every respect to how existing 'Specific People' links have worked in the past — we'd treat it as a similar principle rather than assuming an exact one-to-one match, until Microsoft confirms the finer detail.
What should businesses do before the change?
You don't need to do anything urgently, but the rollout is a sensible prompt to tidy up sharing before the new experience arrives. Worth considering:
- Let staff know the sharing interface is changing, so it doesn't come as a surprise
- Reassure users that existing links are not being deleted or disabled
- Review important files and folders that are shared outside the business
- Remove access that's no longer needed, especially for former staff or old projects
- Check for guest users who may still have access longer than intended
- Identify particularly sensitive SharePoint or OneDrive locations that deserve closer attention
- Treat changing who a Hero Link works for as a deliberate decision, not a routine click
- If anyone is unsure about current permissions, ask whoever manages your Microsoft 365 environment before making changes
For a closer look at existing access, our guides on how to audit Microsoft 365 permissions and Microsoft 365 governance for SMEs cover this in more detail.
Is the new Hero Link a good change?
On balance, yes — with a caveat. Reducing the number of different links floating around for the same document should make everyday sharing genuinely easier, and it addresses a problem most Microsoft 365 users will recognise.
But a simpler interface doesn't remove the need for good permission management behind it. Fewer links to keep track of is a real benefit; it isn't the same thing as fewer decisions to make about who should have access.
The strongest upside is probably the reduced confusion over which link to send. The main risk to watch for is the opposite one: users granting broader access than they intended, simply because adjusting a link is now quicker and easier than before.
Microsoft 365 sharing is getting simpler — but permissions still matter
The Hero Link should make everyday file sharing in OneDrive and SharePoint more consistent, with one primary link per file rather than a growing collection of them. Existing links continue to work, and users will be able to manage who has access around that primary link rather than starting from scratch each time.
Rollout begins gradually from late August 2026, so don't expect the new experience to appear for everyone at once.
For businesses, the most useful response isn't to worry about the interface change itself — it's to use it as a natural moment to review external sharing and clean up old permissions that may have built up over time. If you'd like a clearer picture of who can currently access your Microsoft 365 files, our Microsoft 365 Security Assessment is a good place to start.
