How to Share Files in Microsoft Teams (Chats and Channels)
Teams isn't just for chatting — it's a great place to share and work on files together. Everyone edits the same copy, so there's no more emailing "Report_v4_FINAL_JS_edits.docx" back and forth.
Share a file in a chat
1. Open the chat.
2. Click + (or the paperclip icon) under the message box.
3. Choose Attach file.
4. Pick a file from OneDrive, or choose Upload from this device to pick one from your computer.
5. Add a message if you like and press Send.
2. Click + (or the paperclip icon) under the message box.
3. Choose Attach file.
4. Pick a file from OneDrive, or choose Upload from this device to pick one from your computer.
5. Add a message if you like and press Send.
You can also simply drag a file from File Explorer into the chat.
Share a file in a channel
Files shared in a channel are available to everyone in the team.
1. Open the channel.
2. Click the Files tab at the top (in newer channels it may be called Shared).
3. Click Upload and choose files or a folder — or drag them straight in.
2. Click the Files tab at the top (in newer channels it may be called Shared).
3. Click Upload and choose files or a folder — or drag them straight in.
Files you attach to a post in a channel also end up here automatically.
Edit files together
Click a Word, Excel or PowerPoint file in Teams and it opens right inside Teams. Several people can edit at once — you'll see their names and coloured cursors, and changes appear live.
Prefer the full app? Click Open in Desktop App (or ⋯ > Open in app) at the top.
There's no need to save — changes are saved automatically. If someone makes a mess, Version history lets you go back.
Where are Teams files stored?
| Where you shared it | Where it's stored | Who can access it |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | In your OneDrive, in a folder called Microsoft Teams Chat Files | People in that chat |
| Channel | In the team's SharePoint site, in a folder for that channel | Everyone in the team |
That's why a file shared in a chat disappears for others if the person who shared it deletes it from their OneDrive.
Tip: For anything the whole team needs long-term, put it in a channel, not a chat.
Find a file you shared before
• In a chat, click the Files tab (or Shared tab) at the top to see every file shared in that conversation.
• Click OneDrive (or Files) in the left bar of Teams to see recent files and everything from your teams.
• Use the search box at the top and type the file name.
• Click OneDrive (or Files) in the left bar of Teams to see recent files and everything from your teams.
• Use the search box at the top and type the file name.
Work on channel files from File Explorer
1. Open the channel's Files tab.
2. Click ⋯ and choose Add shortcut to OneDrive (recommended) or Sync.
2. Click ⋯ and choose Add shortcut to OneDrive (recommended) or Sync.
The folder appears in File Explorer on Windows (or Finder on a Mac), so you can open and save files there as normal — they stay in sync with Teams.
Share a link instead of a copy
To point someone to a file that's already in Teams, hover over it, click ⋯ > Copy link, and paste the link into a chat. They open the same file instead of getting a separate copy.
Wrapping up
Attach files with + in a chat, use the Files tab in channels, and edit together instead of emailing versions around. For long-term team files, the channel is the right home.
