Microsoft OneDrive update should stop your private files falling into the wrong hands

OneDrive on a Laptop
(Image credit: Shutterstock - monticello)

Getting more complete control over your files should soon be a lot easier for Microsoft OneDrive users thanks to a new update.

The company has announced plans to introduce granular controls for request files, links and Anyone Links to its cloud storage platform.

This should mean that sharing files with your colleagues, co-workers or friends and family should become a lot more straightforward, and hopefully prevent them from being accessed by anyone you don't want.

(ed: Check out our comparisons: Microsoft OneDrive vs Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive vs Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive vs iCloud)

Microsoft OneDrive sharing

Microsoft says that the changes will make it possible for customers to enable the Request Files scenario on OneDrives.

Currently, users have to also enable file & folder Anyone links, possibly allowing access to items that shouldn't have been shared or made accessible to others.

The update is currently listed as still being "in development" in the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, but has a scheduled general availability date of September, so may launch soon.

When live, Microsoft says it will be available to all OneDrive users across the web.

The update is the latest in a series of changes to Microsoft OneDrive as the company looks to ensure its service remains useful for customers embracing the hybrid working world.

The company also detailed how OneDrive for Business users will soon benefit from a dedicated feed that highlights recent activity associated with their files. A new Activity column in the ‘My Files’ page in OneDrive for Business Web will now show which of your shared documents have unseen edits and comments.

Microsoft also unveiled an update that gives users the ability to specify access permissions before copying a sharing link for a file, helping control who has access to their files.

Recently, it announced plans for a new feature that will allow OneDrive to automatically rename files without annoying users with alerts noting that their files or folders have not synced properly.

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.