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How to Grant Microsoft 365 User Access to Another’s OneDrive

Von Peery

Oct 16 2025

5 min read

As an IT administrator, you may occasionally need to give a user access to another’s OneDrive content. This could be necessary during employee transitions, for collaborative projects, or in other cases where critical files need to be accessed. In this guide, we’ll walk through the process of granting this access securely and efficiently.

Why Grant OneDrive Access?

Before we dive into the how, let’s briefly discuss why you might need to do this

Employee departures: Accessing files of employees who have left the organization
Collaborative projects: Allowing team leads to access their team members’ files
Backup access: Ensuring critical files are accessible in case of emergencies

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to grant one user access to another’s OneDrive:

1. Log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center
- Go to admin.microsoft.com and sign in with your admin credentials
Navigate to the SharePoint Admin Center
- In the left navigation pane, expand “Admin centers” and select “SharePoint”
Access User Profiles
- In the SharePoint admin center, click on “More features” in the left navigation pane
- Find the “User profiles” section and click “Open”
4. Manage User Profiles
- Click on “Manage User Profiles”
- Search for the user whose OneDrive you want to grant access to (we’ll call this the “source user”)
5. Modify Site Collection Administrators
- Click the dropdown arrow to the right of the Account name
- Select “Manage site collection owners”
Add the New Administrator
- In the “Site Collection Administrators” box, add the username of the person you want to give access to (the “destination user”)
- Click “OK” to save the changes

Important Considerations

When granting OneDrive access, keep these points in mind:

Security: Grant access only when absolutely necessary, and revoke it promptly when no longer needed
Privacy: Inform the source user that their OneDrive is being accessed, if appropriate
Scope: The destination user will have full control over the source user’s OneDrive content
Access Method: The destination user will need to access this content through the OneDrive admin center, not their personal OneDrive

Best Practices and Risk Mitigation

To ensure responsible use of this administrative power:

Document Access Grants: Maintain a log of all access grants, including reasons and durations.
Regular Audits: Conduct periodic reviews of access permissions to ensure they’re still necessary.
Data Classification: Implement a system to classify sensitive data, helping prioritize access control.
Training: Educate users granted access about their responsibilities in handling others’ data.
Monitoring: Use Microsoft 365’s auditing tools to monitor activities in shared OneDrive accounts.

Potential Risks

Be aware of these risks when granting OneDrive access:

Data Breaches: Increased access points can potentially lead to unauthorized data exposure.
Compliance Issues: Ensure access grants don’t violate any regulatory requirements your organization must meet.
User Trust: Overuse of this feature may erode employee trust in data privacy.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during this process:

Verify that you have Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator rights
Consult your organization’s specific IT documentation
Contact Microsoft Support for guidance tailored to your setup

Conclusion

Granting OneDrive access between users is a powerful administrative tool in Microsoft 365. Use it judiciously to maintain security while enabling necessary file access and collaboration within your organization.

Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Always prioritize data security and user privacy when managing OneDrive access. By following best practices and being aware of potential risks, you can effectively balance operational needs with data protection requirements.

Have any questions about this process? Please reach out to our IT experts at any time!

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About the Author

Von Peery

With over 20 years of experience in IT, Von Peery has seen many diverse technologies come and go. Viewing the IT world from both the perspective of a software developer when he started and that of a Network Engineer now allows Von to have a well rounded view of IT's place in business and how to effectively use technology to enhance business processes.