How to open and save files from a shared OneDrive folder from excel mobile

Question

How to open and save files from a shared OneDrive folder from excel mobile

AC 0

I have a OneDrive folder that I have shared with a team member and they have full edit privileges. I need them to be able to open existing spreadsheets and save new spreadsheets into that shared folder from within the excel mobile app, but it only shows there own OneDrive folders, not the shared ones.

AC 0 Reputation points

2026-03-31T20:23:21.7566667+00:00

To be clear: I have found the AI suggested workaround of opening the file from within onedrive and then saving it, however, for the purpose of our workflow, the user needs to be able to open the spreadsheet, edit it, and then SAVE AS with a new name. Under the current workaround the user can save the file, overwriting the original and retaining the same file name, but if they try to SAVE AS, there is no path to the shared OneDrive folder

2 answers

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AC 0 Reputation points

2026-03-31T20:23:21.7566667+00:00

To be clear: I have found the AI suggested workaround of opening the file from within onedrive and then saving it, however, for the purpose of our workflow, the user needs to be able to open the spreadsheet, edit it, and then SAVE AS with a new name. Under the current workaround the user can save the file, overwriting the original and retaining the same file name, but if they try to SAVE AS, there is no path to the shared OneDrive folder

Answer 1

Ian-Ng 11,555 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @AC,

Good day, and I appreciate the clear explanation of your concern.

I understand you are looking for a way to enable your team to not only edit shared spreadsheets but also use the "Save As" function to create new versions within a shared OneDrive folder using the Excel mobile app. Currently, the mobile app only displays personal folders in the save directory, which hinders your specific workflow requirements.

To resolve this and make the shared folder visible within the Excel app's file picker, please follow the steps below to create a folder shortcut.

This is a one-time configuration that must be performed by the user who needs access to the folder:

Access OneDrive via web: Sign in to onedrive.microsoft.com on a web browser.
Locate the folder: Click on the Shared tab in the left-hand navigation menu.
Create the shortcut: Find the folder shared with you, select it by clicking the circle next to its name, and select Add shortcut to My files from the top menu bar.

Once the shortcut is added, it will behave as if it is a folder within your own OneDrive directory. To save a new file to that location:

Open the spreadsheet in the Excel mobile app.
Tap the three dots (...) or the File icon and select Save a Copy.
Choose OneDrive as the location.
The shared folder will now appear in your list of folders. Select it, rename your file, and tap Save.

This process ensures the "Save As" path is preserved and allows for seamless versioning directly from a mobile device. Please let me know if you encounter any difficulties during the setup or if you require further clarification on these steps.

Please note that the specific navigation steps and menu options may vary slightly depending on your device, operating system, or software version.

Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Ian-Ng 11,555 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-01T20:22:24.0866667+00:00

Hi @AC,

Have a good day. May I kindly ask whether you have had a chance to review my previous response?

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.

I look forward to hearing from you.
AC 0 Reputation points

2026-04-04T19:51:29.3166667+00:00

Hi Ian,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. Your fix allows me to view the shared folder from within the onedrive app, and it shows up in the "my files" folder. However, it shows up as a link to the folder (not an actual folder). When I try to save a file from excel and click on OneDrive and navigate to the "My files" folder, all of MY folders show up but the shared folder does not (I suspect because it is a link rather than an actual folder?)
Ian-Ng 11,555 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-07T21:45:04.7566667+00:00
Hi @AC,

Thank you for your reply.

Your observation is valid, when you use Add shortcut to My files, the shared folder will appear like a regular folder. However, some shared folder shortcuts can temporarily show up as a .url (a link) instead of an actual folder due to backend service changes. In that state, the shortcut may open via OneDrive, but it may not be treated as a true folder in other app pickers. It states that these .url shortcuts should automatically convert back to a folder once the service-side change is resolved.

You can try some recommended workaround for your workflow:

In the OneDrive mobile app, browse to the shared folder (or its shortcut) and create or copy the workbook inside that shared folder first (so the file is already in the correct location).

Then open that newly created or copied file in Excel mobile and edit as needed — saving will keep it in the same shared location.

Note: please confirm the user is signed into the same work account in both OneDrive and Excel on the device, as inconsistent sign-in can affect what locations appear.

Also, if you can confirm whether the shared folder comes from another user’s OneDrive or from a SharePoint/Teams document library, I can better tailor the guidance for your scenario.

Looking forward to your updates.

Answer 2

Excel Mobile only lists the user’s own OneDrive root and libraries, so shared folders are reached through the OneDrive app rather than directly appearing as separate locations in Excel. The shared folder can still be used end to end by starting in OneDrive and then opening in Excel.

Have the team member do this on the mobile device:

Open the OneDrive mobile app and sign in with the account that has edit access to the shared folder.
Go to the Shared section and open the shared folder.
To work on an existing workbook:
- Tap the Excel file to preview it.
- In the preview screen, tap the Excel icon at the top to open it in Excel Mobile. The file is opened from the shared folder, and saving in Excel will save back to that same shared folder.
To create a new workbook in that shared folder:
- While inside the shared folder in the OneDrive app, use the Create (or +) option to create a new Excel workbook there.
- After it is created, tap it to preview, then tap the Excel icon to open it in Excel Mobile. Any edits and saves will stay in that shared folder.

This way, the shared folder is managed and selected in OneDrive, and Excel Mobile is used purely for editing and saving the workbooks that OneDrive passes to it.

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How to open and save files from a shared OneDrive folder from excel mobile

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