Sharing files
Access permissions and sharing of files
UNSW IT has put measures in place to ensure your data is better protected and to reduce unintentional sharing of information.
What are our default settings?
A default ‘private’ setting has been applied to all OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams sites, meaning only members can access the content – including all files, folders and documents – contained in the site. Only a member of the site where that file resides will be able to access them.
Whenever you share a file from SharePoint or your UNSW OneDrive, the default setting only allows people you select to be able to view (but not edit) the shared file. You may therefore receive email notifications to ‘request permission’ for someone to access a file, or to grant permission to access a file or folder.
If someone receives a document from someone else, (for example; they have been forwarded an email that contains a file but they have not been identified as a person with permission to view or edit), this will also trigger a ‘request permission’ email notification.
How do you change the permission before sharing?
- You can change the default setting for each document you share, at the time of sharing to make that file accessible to multiple people, as well as enabling editing.
- This Microsoft video is a great starting point for understanding how to set permissions. For additional tips on managing and securing information in OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint, please go to Storing & sharing files.
Who has access to your documents?
- Everyone should take some time to review your collaboration sites, such as SharePoint and Teams, look at who has permissions and can access files and folders in a site to make sure the right people can access the right information.
- All collaboration sites are set to ‘private’ by default. If you would like to have your SharePoint or Teams site set to ‘public’ (accessible to all in UNSW), or if you would like assistance with setting permissions on your files and folders, please email the IT Service Centre.
We're here to help
We're here to help with all your tech needs, offering support and services to enhance your learning and work experience.
Sydney +61 2 9385 1333 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm & Sat 11am-3pm) or Canberra +61 2 5114 5678 (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm)
IT walk-in service centres
- Upper Campus IT Hub - Room G06, D26 Biological Sciences Building (Next door to XS Cafe) (View on map)
- Middle Campus IT Hub - G008, Ground Floor H13 Anita B Lawrence Centre (Formerly the Red Centre Building off University Mall) (View on map)
- Paddington Campus IT Hub - Ground Floor, Block D, Paddington Campus (View on map)
- UNSW Canberra ADFA Campus IT Hub - Ground Floor, Building 14, UNSW Canberra ADFA Campus (View on map)