Short Version
Every file and folder in SharePoint and OneDrive is getting a single primary sharing link, called the hero link, that you can update after sharing rather than needing to create and resend a new one whenever access needs to change. Now due mid-September to late October 2026.
Details
The hero link is a single sharing link shown in the sharing dialogue for a file or folder, and its settings determine who can access the item beyond anyone you’ve explicitly added. Adding people directly to a file or folder is unchanged, and remains the simplest way to share content.
By default, the hero link is set to Only people added to the file, meaning the link on its own doesn’t grant access to anyone. You can broaden that to people in your organisation, or, where your organisation’s policy allows it, to anyone with the link. You can also choose whether recipients can view, edit, or view without downloading, depending on the permissions available.
The key change is what happens when you need to adjust access: changing the audience for the hero link updates the existing link rather than creating a new one. So if someone can’t open a file you’ve already shared, you can expand access on the same link instead of generating and resending a new URL.
Any sharing links you’ve already created will keep working, and now appear under Other links in the sharing dialogue. Your effective access to a file remains the most permissive combination of direct permissions, inherited permissions, group-based permissions, and link-based permissions, so this doesn’t change how access is calculated, just how the primary link behaves. You’ll see a short tutorial the first time you open the new sharing dialogue.
AvailabilityDue late August to late October 2026.
Now due mid-September to late October 2026.
For Admins
No action is required before rollout. Administrators can optionally configure the default audience for the hero link at the SharePoint site collection or OneDrive level.
Source, related links and references
MC1454378.
Walkthrough Video: New file sharing experience for Microsoft 365.
Announcement Blog: Simple, Smart, and Secure: The next step in sharing files in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Community Hub.
Images: Microsoft.
See what else is new for SharePoint and OneDrive.
Page originally published
18th August 2026.
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