How to restrict the subfolder in one drive

Maria Bernadette M. Rubi 0 Reputation points
2026-10-06T07:57:10.8933333+00:00

Hello,

Good Day!

I'm trying to restrict access to a subfolder, but it's still not working.

For the parent folder, I shared a link that allows anyone with the link to access it. I already stopped inheriting permissions for the subfolder, so it currently has unique permissions. I also added only myself as the person who can access the subfolder.

However, when I tested the shared parent-folder link on another device without signing in to any Outlook or Microsoft account, I could still access the restricted subfolder.

What should I do to properly restrict access to the subfolder? It seems that the unique permissions are not working as expected. I already follow the steps restricting the subfolder, still not working.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | Other | Windows

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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-06T07:57:29.4366667+00:00

    The parent-folder sharing link is the reason the subfolder is still reachable. In OneDrive and SharePoint, sharing a parent folder can also provide access to child folders, and sharing adds permissions rather than restricting them. Breaking inheritance on the subfolder does not reliably block access that was already granted through the parent folder link.

    To properly restrict the subfolder:

    1. Remove access from the parent folder.
      • Open the parent folder.
      • Select Details or Information to open the details pane.
      • Select Manage access.
      • Remove the active sharing link for the parent folder, especially the Anyone link.
      • If needed, select Stop sharing for the parent folder.
    2. Keep the restricted subfolder on unique permissions.
      • Ensure the subfolder is not inheriting permissions from the parent.
      • Keep access only for the intended account.
    3. Share only the content that should remain accessible.
      • Do not share the higher-level parent folder if some child folders must stay private.
      • Share only the specific folders or files that others should access.
      • Prefer direct sharing or a more limited link instead of an Anyone link.
    4. Re-test after removing the parent link.
      • Test again from a device or browser session that is not signed in.
      • The restricted subfolder should no longer open through the old parent-folder link once that link is removed.

    If the goal is to let people access most subfolders but not one restricted subfolder, the safer design is:

    • remove sharing from the parent folder,
    • keep the restricted subfolder with unique permissions,
    • share only the allowed subfolders individually.

    Also note that if a OneDrive site has Limited-access user permission lockdown mode enabled, users can receive access errors when a folder is shared but they do not have access to the parent site or folder. In that case, supported workarounds are to share individual files instead of folders, share the whole site or subsite, or disable that site collection feature if it is not required.

    References:

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  2. EmilyS726 272.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-06T12:36:06.1266667+00:00

    You can keep the parent folder accessible to Anyone with the link, but I would not recommend keeping confidential files in a subfolder beneath it.

    The issue is that an anonymous sharing link grants access independently of the permissions you configured for individual users. This is by design and it is a product limitation for your user scenario.

    I am afraid you would have to keep those folders separate as their own independent folders, don't nest the folder in the parent folder. One you can share with the link and the other you can share with the users.

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