Sharepoint "Open in Desktop App" Option not visible while accessing online link for sharepoint

Question

Hi, 

I'm sorry if i sound like a noob but please assist, screenshots would be great.

One of my colleague is working on a project, he uses his work email which for example is ******@companyname.ae, however his Microsoft 365 Personal is registered with his outlook email for example ******@outlook.com. The Sharepoint link is shared to his work email so when he opens the link and enters the auth code for accessing the file on Sharepoint, the "Open in Desktop App" option doesn't show up even though the licensed application is installed on his laptop. The user can only view it online and this limits his work because there are graphs to work on as well and double clicking on it doesn't show up any data, it does only when you use it on the desktop app. 

Has it got anything to do with Microsoft 365 Personal account (i.e. ******@outlook.com) being different to the one used for sharing the share-point link (i.e. ******@companyname.ae)? Is it anything to do with the permission set? Has it got anything to do with using google chrome/Microsoft edge?

At first I thought its because Microsoft 365 business license is not installed and that could be the issue but then when I used my email and shared a ppt to his outlook email, I was able to see "Open in desktop app" option so I was wondering if the issue persist with the work email to which the access is given. 

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

Answer 1

Hi,

Only two of the users (both from our office) have the issue. The file is shared by the client using a p***65-my.sharepoint link, my colleague have access to those files by entering their email address and then entering the OTP to view the PPT files. The clients dont have any issue with opening in desktop app, just the external users (i.e. my colleagues)

Does it have anything to do with these emails being guest users or any issue with the sharing settings? Please find the image attached, I found this on the internet but I'm not sure if that would fix it.

Answer 2

Hi Sahar,

Thanks for your reply.

According to your description, you are sharing the file with external users.

I suggest you try the following steps to share it to check the result, on our side, there is the Open in desktop option:

1. Select the file>click Copy link.
2. Select Anyone with the link can edit.
3. Copy the link and share it with the external users.
4. When the users open it directly, there is not Open in desktop option.
5. Please click the sign in button and use his account to sign in.
6. The Open in desktop option will appear.

If this can't help you, you are welcome to post back and I will keep working on this, besides, please provide the screenshot when the users open the file.

Regards,

Qing

Answer 3

No, I am not the one sharing the file. Our client is sharing the file and has shared with two of our colleagues. To view the file they have to sign in using the company SharePoint link, after which my colleague receive an OTP on their email which they enter and then can view the files.

Upon accessing the file, they only have the option to view the file online, not to open in desktop app. My colleagues (two of them are the only external users) and only the external users have an issue for opening the file in desktop app.

So I want to know what exactly could be the reason for this. Based on the screenshot i attached in the previous reply, it seems to be sharing links/being an external user but I'm not clear on that. So please advise.

Answer 4

Hi Sahar,

Thanks for your updates.

According to your description, to better understand the situation, could you please provide the following information for further analysis?

1. The screenshot when the external user opened the file on Excel online.
2. Could you please contact the people who shared the file, please provide the detailed steps? I will test the same steps on our side.

Regards,

Qing