Restrict external users' access to sub-folder of a shared folder

Hi UnknownFea,

As per your description, yes if we give access permission to parent folder, the external users also get access to sub-folder within the parent. When we set the permissions on the root folder level, and it will be inherited to the two sub folders.

As you mentioned, “I've tried removing the user from the sub-folder(s) in question, but when I go to manage access for the sub-folders, the user isn't listed and I'm unable to remove or change permissions for that user.” does it means if you click Manage access>Advance and users are not listed there? if users are not listed there, that mean users don’t have access to that sub-folder.  Please confirm with external users are able to see the subfolder.

Regarding to, “Is there a way to restrict which sub-folders the user has access to?” here is my steps:

1.Select the sub-folder that you don’t want to give access to external users>Manage access>Advance>select the users and click on delete unique permissions

2.Under Inheritance, click on stop inheriting permissions>then select the users>Modify>Remove User permission .  

Users will not be able to see the sub-folder when they access root/parent shared folder.

See user end side, access parent folder result(users not able to see sub-folder1):

I appreciate your understanding and stay safe!!

Best Regards

Waqas Muhammad

Hi Waqas,

I'll check with the client to make sure, just sent her an email to go over. But yes, when I checked the Advanced tab on the sub-folder permissions, the user in question wasn't listed. She could still see the sub-folder even though she was listed in the Advanced tab for the permissions.

Do you know if there's a way to hide folders for users who can't access them?

Thanks, appreciate your help!

Daniel Millier

Hi UnknownFea,

Thanks for sharing updates with us and I really appreciate your effort and your precious time doing those tests. 

As you confirmed, “when I checked the Advanced tab on the sub-folder permissions, the user in question wasn't listed.” I think it might be an issue because when we give access permission to root folder, the external/internal users also get access to sub-folder within the root folder and the users name is also listed there. But from your side, user is not listed there and she still can access sub-folder)

Regarding to, “Do you know if there's a way to hide folders for users who can't access them?” we can only hide the folder to users (who can't access) using SharePoint permission the way I mentioned above (Stop Inheriting Permissions > remove Members permissions from it). 

To narrow down your issue, if you don’t mind could you please try to create a new folder structure in same problematic SharePoint library and another SharePoint library for test purpose and see if there is any difference, at lease it will help to narrow down does issue related with specific library and folder structure that you assign permission.

Meanwhile, could you please confirm does this issue happened to only one specific user or other users as well?

I appreciate your understanding and stay safe!!

Best Regards

Waqas Muhammad

Hi Waqas,

So I think I found my issue. My client is trying to give access to an external user, and in doing so, once they share the parent folder, all the other folders get the same permissions. I've tried to go into the sub-folder and remove the unique permissions, add in the required users, but the external user is still not showing in that list -- kinda weird, so I can't remove the external user as it's inheriting from the parent.

I guess the next question to ask, so I can give external users access to a folder which is great, but how do I now remove that user from certain sub-folders within the parent folder if that user isn't showing up in the list of users?

Hi UnknownFea,

Thanks for sharing updates with us and I really appreciate your effort.

I understand when you try to remove the unique permissions in  sub-folder, the external users is not listed there.

Since you want to give access only some sub-folder to external users in your parent folder. How about, if you just select the sub-folder and click on share to external users.

Also, as you already give permission to parent folder and I suggest you, use PowerShell command to clean permission(after run command users will not able to access any sub-folder in parent folder) then re-grant those sub-folder permission that you want to users access.

Here is command:

Set-PnPFolderPermission -List 'Documents' -Identity 'Shared Documents\Parent Folder' -User 'urn:spo:guest#adelev@xxxx.onmicrosoft.com' -ClearExisting

After that you go to sub-folder and give grant permission to sub-folder that you want users can only access.

I appreciate your understanding and stay safe!!

Best Regards

Waqas Muhammad

Hi UnknownFea,

Feel free to post back if you need further assistance.

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad