Guest access in SharePoint allows organizations to collaborate with external users while maintaining control over security and compliance. Proper management of guest access ensures that sensitive data remains protected and external users only access the information they need.
This guide will cover:
✔ What is guest access in SharePoint?
✔ How to enable and manage guest access securely.
✔ Best practices for restricting and monitoring guest activities.
1. What is Guest Access in SharePoint?
Guest access allows external users (such as vendors, clients, or contractors) to access SharePoint sites, documents, and resources without requiring a full Microsoft 365 account.
Who qualifies as a guest?
- Users outside your organization with a personal or business email.
- Partners or vendors using Gmail, Outlook, or other email providers.
- External consultants invited to work on SharePoint projects.
What can guests do?
✔ View and edit specific documents or folders.
✔ Participate in Microsoft Teams if linked to a SharePoint site.
✔ Upload/download files based on given permissions.
2. How to Enable Guest Access in SharePoint
To allow guest users in SharePoint Online, you need to enable external sharing at different levels:
A. Enable Guest Access in SharePoint Admin Center
1️⃣ Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center ➝ Select SharePoint under Admin Centers.
2️⃣ Click Policies ➝ Sharing.
3️⃣ Under External Sharing, choose:
- “Anyone” – Allow sharing with anyone with a link (least secure).
- “New and existing guests” – Allow invited guests only.
- “Only existing guests” – Restrict access to pre-approved guests.
- “Only people in your organization” – No guest access.
4️⃣ Click Save.
Best Practice: Choose “New and existing guests” for a balance of security and flexibility.
B. Allow Guest Access at the Site Level
Each SharePoint site has its own external sharing settings.
1️⃣ Open SharePoint Admin Center ➝ Click Active Sites.
2️⃣ Select the site you want to allow guest access to.
3️⃣ Click Sharing ➝ Choose one of the guest access levels:
- Anyone with the link (least secure).
- Only people in your organization and guests.
- Only people in your organization (disables guest access).
4️⃣ Click Save.
C. Manage Guest Permissions on Documents and Libraries
To share specific files with guests:
1️⃣ Navigate to the document library in SharePoint.
2️⃣ Select the file or folder ➝ Click Share.
3️⃣ Choose “Specific people” ➝ Enter the guest’s email.
4️⃣ Set permissions:
- View Only – Guest can read but not edit.
- Edit – Guest can edit and collaborate.
- Can review – Allows commenting without editing.
5️⃣ Click Send.
Best Practice: Use password-protected links and expiration dates for guest file sharing.
3. Restricting and Managing Guest Access
A. Limit Guest Access with Conditional Policies
Use Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) for additional security:
✔ Require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for guest users.
✔ Set expiration policies to automatically remove inactive guests.
✔ Restrict file sharing to specific domains (e.g., only allow company partners).
B. Monitor Guest Activities
🔹 Enable audit logs in Microsoft Purview Compliance Center to track guest actions.
🔹 Regularly review the “Guest Users” list in Microsoft Entra ID.
🔹 Use Access Reviews to remove unnecessary guest permissions.
Best Practice: Disable guest access for confidential SharePoint sites.
4. Best Practices for Secure Guest Access
✔ Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all guests.
✔ Limit guest access to specific sites and documents only.
✔ Set expiration policies to revoke guest access after a certain period.
✔ Use Sensitivity Labels to classify and restrict access to confidential documents.
✔ Disable anonymous sharing to prevent unauthorized access.
5. Conclusion
Managing guest access in SharePoint ensures secure external collaboration while protecting sensitive data. By implementing access controls, monitoring guest activities, and enforcing security policies, organizations can prevent data leaks and unauthorized access.
Next Steps:
✔ Review and update guest access settings in SharePoint.
✔ Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all guest users.
✔ Regularly audit guest permissions to ensure security.
By following these best practices, organizations can maintain secure and controlled guest collaboration in SharePoint.