"Save to OneDrive" button?

Question

I've been trying to figure out an easy way for my students to save documents I share with them directly to their own OneDrive account, without downloading. The biggest hurtle is that any "view-only" document I share with them does not easily allow students to save a copy. (FYI: I mark these documents as "view-only" so my students do not change the original content.)

Typically, here's what they see in "view-only":

Sure, if they select "Print" they can download a copy. Or if they go to the ellipsis (...) they can select download there as well. However, I've been wondering why there hasn't been an option to just save a copy of it to OneDrive without downloading it.

Then, lo and behold, I received an email this morning with an attached document--the elusive buttons that my students never see. Take a look at this image:

There at the top, you see "Download" and "Save to OneDrive" options. I've never seen those options before today. Are they something new? Or was it just because the document was sent through Outlook?

I'm hoping there's some way to have these options be available on all documents I share. It would be so much easier for my students.

Answer 1

Thanks for your help with this. I will definitely send my message over to the MS OneDrive feedback portal.

Answer 2

Dear Johnathan Peabody,

Good day! Thank you for posting to Microsoft Community. We are happy to help you.

As per your description, please don’t worry, we can work together to narrow down and resolve the situation.

First, please accept my apologize (it's my humbly request please don't mind) because you meet such a problem.

Based on my test result, it seems that I can confirm I also meet the same behaviour as like you described above. Here is my test screenshot for your reference.

Share Word document with View only mode from OneDrive for business.

Share Word document with View only mode and click on Block download from OneDrive for business.

In this scenario student also cannot see save a copy option as well.

Share a Word document via attachment in outlook.

In attachment document file we can choose Save to OneDrive or Download it to computer. And I believe/confirm the reason because the document was sent through Outlook.

Based on my further different test, I'm sorry and I'm afraid to say that in View only mode permission, there is no option save a copy. I'm sorry and please accept my apologize I'm delivering bad news due to due to this limitation and we’re really feel sorry for it.

We feel your pain due to this limitation and we’re really feel sorry for it. Regarding to your concern, I request you, please send/provided feedback to related Microsoft development team viaMicrosoft OneDrive feedback portal, so that they can get notice about it.

We can expect this feature to be used in the future.

Your understanding and patience will be highly appreciated. I hope that you are keeping safe and well!

Sincerely,

Waqas Muhammad