File sharing is a core part of modern work. According to Microsoft, over 1.2 billion people use the file share dialog in Microsoft 365 every month. To make their experience simpler, safer, and smarter, Microsoft is bringing several improvements and new features, such as hero links, security improvements, bulk permission updates, and more.
Every file in Microsoft 365 now has a single hero link, which controls access to the file. Whether you copy the link from the address bar in your browser, click "Copy Link," or attach a file to an email, you get the same hero link for a simpler sharing experience. Modifying existing links is also easier now: you can give everyone within your organization access to a file with a single click, or lock it down to allow access for people you added directly. This change will help in situations where you need to update an already sent link with incorrect permissions.
As for security, hero links give access to people who have already been added to the document. Should you add more people to the document, the updated sharing UI will tag people outside your organization. However, IT admins will be able to adjust the default behavior according to their companies' needs. Also, there are now controls that let you select who can add people or change access settings.
Additional access settings include the ability to update permissions for multiple people at once, extra sharing links for more granular control, link renaming, and more.
Copilot is also now integrated into the sharing UI. You can ask AI to generate a concise summary of the document and include it in your email. Speaking of emails, you can now specify whether to notify the receiver about the shared file or not.
All these sharing UI improvements are coming to Microsoft 365 in late 2025. Later this year, Microsoft will share additional information about the upgrade.
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