Accessing Files Shared from Bowdoin Teams or OneDrive (External Users)

This article explains how someone outside Bowdoin College can open a file or folder shared with them from Bowdoin OneDrive or Microsoft Teams. It covers signing in as a guest, resolving common account conflicts, and understanding how long external access lasts.

Questions

• I am outside Bowdoin College and someone shared a Teams file with me — how do I open it?
• How do I open a file that a Bowdoin employee shared with me?
• I received a sharing link from Bowdoin — how do I access it?
• I clicked a shared link from Bowdoin and got an error. What do I do?
• I am signed into Microsoft with my own account and cannot open the Bowdoin shared file. How do I fix this?
• How do I sign in as a Bowdoin guest to view a shared document?
• Why does my shared file from Bowdoin say I do not have access?
• I got a privacy notice when opening a Bowdoin shared file — is that normal?
• How long will I have access to a file someone at Bowdoin shared with me?
• My access to a Bowdoin shared file expired. Can it be renewed?

Environment

This article is for people outside Bowdoin College who have received a sharing link to a file or folder from a Bowdoin Microsoft Teams channel or OneDrive account. No Bowdoin login credentials are required.

• Who: External collaborators, partners, vendors, or guests who do not have a Bowdoin College account
• Platforms: Any modern web browser (Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, iOS, Android)
• Service: Microsoft Teams and Microsoft OneDrive, accessed through Bowdoin College's Microsoft 365 tenant
• Not in scope: Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff who already have a Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account should sign in with their Bowdoin credentials as usual. See Accessing OneDrive at Bowdoin in the Related Articles section.

Resolution

Step 1: Open the Sharing Link

1. Find the sharing link in the email you received from the Bowdoin sender. It may come from a person directly or from a Microsoft Teams notification.
2. Click the link. It will open in your web browser and take you to a Microsoft sign-in or verification page.
3. If prompted to choose an account, select the email address the file was shared with — this is the address where you received the invitation.

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Step 2: Verify Your Identity

Microsoft needs to confirm you are the intended recipient. How this works depends on whether you have a Microsoft account tied to your email address.

If you do NOT have a Microsoft account for that email address:

1. On the verification page, click Send code.
2. Check your inbox for an email from Microsoft with a one-time passcode. (Check spam/junk if it does not arrive within a few minutes.)
3. Enter the passcode and click Verify.
4. The shared file or folder will open in your browser.

If you DO have a Microsoft account for that email address (such as a work Microsoft 365 account or Outlook.com account):

1. Enter your password when prompted.
2. Complete any multi-factor authentication your own organization requires.
3. The shared file or folder will open in your browser.

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Step 3: Fix an "Access Denied" or "Wrong Account" Error

If you see "You need permission to access this" or a similar error, your browser is likely signed into Microsoft with a different account than the one the file was shared with.

To fix this:

1. Look at the top-right corner of the Microsoft page for your account avatar or initials. If it shows the wrong account, that is the problem.
2. Click the avatar and select Sign in with a different account or Switch account.
3. Enter the correct email address (the one the file was shared with) and complete verification as described in Step 2.

If switching accounts does not work:

• Open a private/incognito browser window:
  • Windows/Chrome: Ctrl + Shift + N
  • macOS/Chrome: Command + Shift + N
  • Edge: Ctrl + Shift + N / Command + Shift + N
• Paste the sharing link into the private window and verify from there.

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Step 4: Accept the Guest Privacy Notice (First Time Only)

The first time you access a Bowdoin-shared file, Microsoft will display a privacy notice on behalf of Bowdoin College.

• The notice states that Bowdoin will be able to see your name, email address, and basic profile information as part of the guest relationship.
• Click Accept to continue. Declining will block access to the file.
• This is a one-time step. You will not see it again for future files shared from Bowdoin, as long as you use the same browser and account.

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Step 5: Know That Access Expires After 180 Days

Bowdoin's Microsoft 365 configuration automatically expires external guest access after 180 days.

• After expiration, you will see an access error when clicking the link, even though the link itself has not changed.
• To restore access: Contact the Bowdoin person who shared the file and ask them to re-share it with you.
• Only the file owner can extend or renew access — the Bowdoin IT Service Desk cannot do this on their behalf.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance:

• Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
• Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
• In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
• Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.