You need to share a document library with external reviewers without giving them edit rights. A standard share link lets users view or edit files, but you want them to only review and leave comments. This article explains how to create a review-only link for a SharePoint document library. You will learn the exact settings to restrict access to view and comment only. By the end, you can generate a secure link that prevents download, printing, and editing.
Key Takeaways: Review-Only Link for a Document Library
- SharePoint library > Share > Link settings: Choose “Specific people” and set permission to “Can view and comment” to create a review-only link.
- SharePoint admin center > Sharing > Links: Disable “Anyone” links to enforce review-only access for external users.
- Library Settings > Permissions > Stop Inheriting Permissions: Break inheritance to apply unique review-only permission levels for specific folders.
What a Review-Only Link Does and What You Need
A review-only link in SharePoint lets recipients view files and add comments but prevents them from editing, downloading, printing, or sharing the files. This permission level is called “Can view and comment” in the sharing dialog. The feature works on any document library in SharePoint Online, including libraries in Microsoft Teams and SharePoint sites.
Before you create a review-only link, verify these prerequisites:
- You have at least Edit permissions on the document library.
- Your SharePoint admin has not disabled the “Can view and comment” permission option in the sharing policy.
- For external reviewers, your organization allows sharing with people outside your company.
The review-only link does not require recipients to sign in unless you choose the “Specific people” option. If you select “Anyone with the link,” the link works without authentication but still restricts to view and comment only. For sensitive documents, always use the “Specific people” option to require sign-in.
Steps to Create a Review-Only Link for a Document Library
Follow these steps to generate a link that allows only viewing and commenting on files in a SharePoint document library.
- Open the document library
Navigate to your SharePoint site and open the document library that contains the files you want to share. You can use any library, such as Shared Documents or a custom library. - Select the files or folders to share
Click the circle next to each file or folder you want to include in the review link. You can select multiple files. To share the entire library, select the library folder in the navigation pane. - Click the Share button
On the toolbar above the file list, click the Share button. Alternatively, right-click a selected file and choose Share. - Open Link settings
In the Share dialog, click the gear icon labeled “Link settings” to expand the permission options. The default link type is usually “Anyone with the link” or “People in your organization.” - Set permission to “Can view and comment”
Under “Choose an option,” select “Specific people” to require sign-in. Then under “Other settings,” choose “Can view and comment” from the permission dropdown. This setting allows recipients to view files and add comments but blocks editing, downloading, and printing. - Apply the link
Click Apply to save the link settings. The Share dialog returns to the main view. - Add recipients and send
In the Share dialog, type the email addresses of the reviewers. Optionally, add a message. Click Send to email the review-only link. Alternatively, click Copy Link to copy the link to your clipboard and share it manually.
After you send the link, recipients receive an email with the link. When they open the link, they see the files in a browser view. They can click a file to open it in the Office Online viewer and add comments using the comment pane on the right side. They cannot edit the file content, download it, or print it.
Common Mistakes and Limitations of Review-Only Links
Reviewers can still download files if the library allows editing
The “Can view and comment” permission prevents downloading for users who open the file directly from the link. However, if a reviewer has Edit permissions on the library through another method, they can download files. To prevent this, ensure reviewers do not have direct Edit permissions on the library. Use the link sharing method exclusively for those users.
The review-only link does not work on PDFs or image files
SharePoint comment capabilities are limited to Office documents like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. If you share a PDF, image, or video file, the reviewer can view the file but cannot add comments. For these file types, consider converting them to Word or PowerPoint format before sharing.
Reviewers cannot leave comments on files opened in the desktop app
If a reviewer opens a file in the desktop version of Word or Excel, the comment functionality may not work because the desktop app requires edit permissions. Instruct reviewers to use the browser version of Office Online for commenting. The browser version opens automatically when they click the link.
External reviewers may need to authenticate twice
When you use the “Specific people” option, external recipients must sign in with a Microsoft account or work account. If they do not have one, they receive a prompt to create a free Microsoft account. This extra step can confuse some users. To simplify, include instructions in your email about creating a Microsoft account.
Team Site vs Communication Site: Review-Only Link Differences
| Item | Team Site | Communication Site |
|---|---|---|
| Default sharing link type | People in your organization | Anyone with the link |
| External sharing default | New and existing guests | Anyone |
| Comment permission availability | Available in all libraries | Available in all libraries |
| Review-only link for external users | Works if external sharing is enabled | Works if external sharing is enabled |
The review-only link feature works identically in both site types. The only difference is the default sharing settings. In a Team site, the default link is restricted to people in your organization, which is more secure for internal reviews. In a Communication site, the default link is open to anyone, which requires you to change the link type to “Specific people” to create a secure review-only link.
After you create the review-only link, test it by opening it in a private browser window. Verify that you can view files and add comments but cannot edit, download, or print. If the link does not work as expected, check the library permissions and the sharing settings in the SharePoint admin center. You can now securely share documents for review without risking unauthorized changes.