External Sharing Report
SharePoint external sharing activity and analysis. Monitor content shared with external users, anonymous links, guest access patterns, and potential data exposure risks.
Overview
The External Sharing Report provides detailed visibility into how content is being shared outside your organization through SharePoint Online. Track external shares by type, identify anonymous links, monitor guest user activity, and detect potential data exposure risks.
Report Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Site | SharePoint site where sharing occurred |
| Shared By | User who created the sharing link |
| Shared With | External recipient or link type |
| Sharing Type | Guest Access, Anyone Link, or Specific People |
| Item | File or folder that was shared |
| Date | When the sharing occurred |
| Expiration | Link expiration date (if set) |
| Access Count | Number of times the shared item was accessed |
| Domain | External domain of the recipient |
Sharing Types
- Guest Access — Shared with specific external users who sign in with their identity
- Anyone Links — Anonymous links accessible without authentication
- Specific People — Links that require recipient verification
- Organization Links — Links accessible to anyone in the organization
Sharing Metrics
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| External Shares | Total active external sharing links |
| Anonymous Links | Links with no authentication requirement |
| Guest Users | Active external guests with access |
| Expiring Links | Links with configured expiration dates |
| Top External Domains | Most common recipient domains |
Warning: Anonymous sharing links can be forwarded to anyone. Review and limit anonymous links to reduce data exposure risk.
Risk Assessment
- High Risk — Anonymous links to sensitive content without expiration
- Medium Risk — External sharing to personal email domains
- Low Risk — Guest access to specific business partners
- Informational — Internal sharing links used within the organization
Filters
- Date Range — Last 7, 30, 90, 180 days or custom
- Sharing Type — Guest, Anyone, Specific People
- Site — Filter by specific SharePoint site
- External Domain — Filter by recipient domain
- Tenant — Filter by managed tenant
Graph API Data Sources
GET /reports/getSharePointSiteUsageDetailGET /reports/getSharePointActivityUserDetail
API Reference
GET /api/reports/sharepoint/external-sharing— Get external sharing reportGET /api/reports/sharepoint/external-sharing/anonymous-links— Get anonymous linksPOST /api/reports/sharepoint/external-sharing/export— Export report data
Last updated on