Share Folder Restriction of Access

Maria Bernadette Rubi 0 Reputation points
2026-10-14T06:12:35.0266667+00:00

Once a folder is created and shared, all files and subfolders within it can be accessed via link.

How can I restrict access to specific subfolders while maintaining access to the parent folder. This would help keep files organized and ensure that only authorized users can access certain subfolders.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For business | Windows
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  1. Kai-Ex 1,745 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-14T06:51:03.7466667+00:00

    Hello,

    If you're using OneDrive or SharePoint, permissions are inherited by default. When you share a parent folder, users who have access to that folder typically also have access to all files and subfolders within it (You can refer to the AI answer's suggestion).

    To better understand your scenario, could you clarify a few details?

    • Is the folder stored in OneDrive, SharePoint, or within a Microsoft Teams channel?
    • Are you sharing the parent folder with individual users, Microsoft 365 groups, or security groups?
    • When you say "restrict access," do you want users to be completely unable to see the subfolder, or just unable to open its contents?
    • Is this for a small number of restricted subfolders, or do you need a scalable solution for many folders with different audiences?
    • Are the users internal to your organization, external guests, or a mix of both?

    In short, to restrict access to specific subfolders while keeping access to the parent folder, you need to break permission inheritance on the subfolder and assign unique permissions.

    In SharePoint:

    • Navigate to the subfolder or a file you want to restrict.
    • Select the folder/subfolder/file and choose more actions (...) > Manage Access
    • Click Advanced permissions settings > Stop inheriting permissions from the parent folder.
    • Remove the users/groups that should not have access > Grant access only to the authorized users or groups.
    • For more information, please refer to Break permission inheritance in SharePoint

    Things to keep in mind:

    • Users who lose permission to the restricted subfolder will still see and access the parent folder and any content they are permitted to access elsewhere.
    • Creating many uniquely permissioned folders can make permission management more complex over time.

    I hope the information is helpful. If you have any questions or if I have misunderstood anything, please feel free to reach out. Looking forward to your update.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-14T06:13:17.8933333+00:00

    A parent-folder sharing link cannot safely remain as the access mechanism when some child folders must be restricted; remove that link and share the permitted subfolders directly with specific people.

    Configure the folder structure safely

    1. Remove the existing parent-folder link
      • Open OneDrive for Business in a browser.
      • Select the parent folder → Details → Manage access.
      • Under Links, remove every link that grants the affected users access.
      • Under Direct access, remove those users if they should not inherit unrestricted access through the parent.
      Removing someone only from a subfolder is insufficient if a parent sharing link or another direct permission still grants access. Microsoft’s sharing controls distinguish between links, direct access, and inherited access.^1^
    2. Give each restricted subfolder unique permissions
      • Select the subfolder → Manage access.
      • Select … → Advanced settings.
      • Select Stop Inheriting Permissions.
      • Remove users or groups that must not access this subfolder.
      • Grant access only to the appropriate users or security groups.
      Stopping inheritance creates an independent permission scope for that folder. Because inherited permissions are initially copied when inheritance is broken, review the resulting list and explicitly remove unwanted entries.^2^
    3. Share each permitted subfolder directly
      • Select the subfolder → Share.
      • Open Link settings.
      • Choose Specific people.
      • Select Can view or Can edit, enter the authorized users, and send the invitation.
      Repeat this for each access group. For example:
      • Parent/General → all staff
      • Parent/Finance → Finance group only
      • Parent/HR → HR group only
    4. Verify every access path
      • Open Manage access on the parent and each restricted subfolder.
      • Check both Links and Direct access.
      • In advanced permissions, use Check Permissions for a representative user.
      • Confirm that the user has access only to the intended folders.

    A matching SharePoint Online case recommends removing parent access and active links, retaining unique permissions on restricted folders, and sharing only the intended child folders through Specific people links.^3^

    Parent-folder visibility

    Users who receive access only to a child folder may receive limited access to the containing hierarchy so they can reach that item, but that does not grant access to other unshared content. Do not restore a broad sharing link merely to make the parent folder visible; distribute direct links to the authorized subfolders instead.^2^

    If everyone must open one landing location and see different content, a SharePoint site with separate document libraries or top-level folders for each security group is easier to manage than many exceptions inside one broadly shared OneDrive folder.

    Scale considerations

    Each uniquely secured folder creates a permission scope. Microsoft supports up to 50,000 unique scopes per document library and recommends staying below 5,000 for performance. Assign permissions at the folder level and let files inherit from that folder instead of securing files individually.^4^

    A folder containing more than 100,000 items cannot have inheritance broken or restored. If that condition applies, reduce the item count or reorganize the content before changing folder inheritance.^5^

    References

    1. [OneDrive, SharePoint](https://support.microsoft.com/onedrive/sharepoint/manage-sharing-and-permissions-in-onedrive-and-sharepoint)
    2. Customize permissions for a SharePoint list or library
    3. External Guest Access to SharePoint Online sub folder with restricted permissions - Microsoft Q&A
    4. Manage Permission Scopes in SharePoint
    5. "You can't share this folder because there are too many items in the folder" error when trying to share or break inheritance
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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