The simplest way to share an Excel file depends on who needs it and whether they need to edit it

You can share an Excel file in three main ways: email it as an attachment, use cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive, or invite people to edit it directly in Microsoft 365. Email works for one-time sharing or when the file is small. Cloud storage lets multiple people access the same file without creating copies. Microsoft 365 (the subscription version of Excel) lets you invite specific people to view or edit in real time, and you can see who changed what.

The method you choose depends on file size, how many people need access, and whether they need to edit simultaneously. A 5 MB spreadsheet is fine to email. A 50 MB file with ten collaborators should live in the cloud. If you need to track changes or prevent accidental overwrites, use Microsoft 365's sharing features instead of passing files back and forth.

Key Takeaways

  • Email attachment works for small files and one-time sharing, but creates multiple copies if people edit and send back.
  • OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox let multiple people access one file at once without creating duplicates.
  • Microsoft 365 sharing (through the Share button) lets you control who can view, edit, or comment, and shows you exactly who made changes.
  • If you use Excel desktop (not Microsoft 365), you can still share through OneDrive, but you cannot invite people directly from Excel itself.

Sharing through email as an attachment

Open your Excel file, then go to File > Share > Email. Choose whether to send a copy or a link. If you choose "Send as Attachment", Excel opens your email program and attaches the file. The recipient gets a copy they can edit on their own computer.

Email works best for files under 10 MB and when only one or two people need it. The downside: if two people edit the same file and both email it back, you now have two different versions to merge by hand. If the file is larger than your email provider allows (usually 20–25 MB), you will get an error and need to use cloud storage instead.

Sharing through OneDrive or Google Drive

Upload your Excel file to OneDrive (Microsoft's cloud storage) or Google Drive (Google's). Both let you share a link and control whether people can view only or edit. To do this in OneDrive: right-click the file, select Share, choose who can access it, and decide if they can edit. Copy the link and send it however you want — email, Slack, Teams, or anywhere else.

The advantage is that everyone sees the same file. If person A changes a number and person B opens the file an hour later, person B sees the change. No more "which version is the real one?" confusion. OneDrive and Google Drive both let you see who accessed the file and when. Excel files in OneDrive can be edited directly in a web browser, so the other person does not need Excel installed on their computer.

OneDrive comes free with a Microsoft account (5 GB of storage). Google Drive comes free with a Google account (15 GB). Dropbox also works the same way if you use it. If your file is sensitive, you can set the link to expire after a certain date or require a password.

Sharing directly from Microsoft 365 Excel

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription (the paid version, not the free desktop Excel), you can share directly from within Excel. Open the file, click the Share button in the top right, type the email addresses of people you want to invite, and choose whether they can edit or view only. They get an email with a link and can start editing immediately.

This method shows you exactly who has access and what changes each person made. You can remove someone's access at any time, and the file stays in one place — no emailing versions back and forth. If someone tries to edit the same cell at the same time as you, Excel shows you both edits and helps you decide which one to keep.

Microsoft 365 sharing requires everyone to have a Microsoft account, but creating one is free. The file must be stored in OneDrive or SharePoint (Microsoft's business storage) for this to work.

Sharing Excel files stored on your computer

If your file lives only on your computer's hard drive, you have two options: move it to the cloud first, or email it. To move it to OneDrive, open File > Save As, choose OneDrive from the left sidebar, and save the file there. Once it is in OneDrive, you can use the sharing methods above.

If you want to keep the file on your computer and share it through email, go to File > Share > Email > Send as Attachment. The recipient gets a copy. If they edit it and send it back, you will have two versions with different changes — you will need to manually combine them or decide which version to keep.

What happens when multiple people edit at the same time

If the file is in OneDrive or Microsoft 365, multiple people can edit simultaneously and Excel merges the changes automatically. You will see a small notification when someone else is editing the same sheet, and their cursor appears as a colored dot so you know where they are working. If two people edit the same cell at the exact same moment, Excel asks you to choose which change to keep.

If you email the file back and forth, there is no automatic merging. Person A edits it and emails it to you. Person B edits the original and emails it to you. You now have two files with conflicting changes and must manually decide which edits to keep. This is why cloud storage is better for teamwork.

Controlling who can see and edit your file

When you share through OneDrive, Google Drive, or Microsoft 365, you control the permission level. "View only" means people can read the file but cannot change it. "Edit" means they can change anything. Some services also offer "Comment only", which lets people add notes without changing the actual data.

You can also set an expiration date on the link — after that date, the link stops working and people cannot access the file anymore. This is useful if you are sharing temporary data or a file that will become outdated. You can revoke access at any time by going back to the sharing settings and removing someone's name.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share an Excel file if the other person does not have Excel?

Yes. If the file is in OneDrive or Google Drive, they can open and edit it in a web browser without installing anything. Google Drive opens Excel files in Google Sheets, which works slightly differently but handles most spreadsheets fine. OneDrive opens Excel files in the web version of Excel, which looks and works almost like the desktop version.

What is the file size limit for sharing?

Email usually caps at 20–25 MB per message. OneDrive and Google Drive allow files up to 5 GB (OneDrive) or 5 TB (Google Drive), though very large files may be slow to open. If your file is over 100 MB, cloud storage is your only practical option.

If I share a file, can I see what changes the other person made?

Yes, but only if you use Microsoft 365 sharing or turn on version history in OneDrive or Google Drive. Version history shows you every change, who made it, and when. Right-click the file in OneDrive, select "Version history", and you can see and restore old versions.

What if I want to share the file but prevent people from downloading it?

OneDrive and Google Drive both let you disable the download option when you set sharing permissions. In OneDrive, click the Share button, select "Specific people", then uncheck "Allow editing" and check "Prevent download". In Google Drive, use the "Viewer" or "Commenter" role instead of "Editor".

Can I share a file with someone who does not have an email address?

Not directly through OneDrive or Microsoft 365 sharing — those require an email to send the invitation. You can create a public link in OneDrive or Google Drive that anyone with the link can access, but you cannot control who that is. For sensitive files, email the file as an attachment instead, or ask the person to create a free email account first.