Automatically shorten links for OneDrive & SharePoint files

(Originally published on April 20, 2020 by Fernanda Richnak)

 

Hi, I’m Fernanda Richnak, a Program Manager on the Outlook team. I’m pleased to share with you a new feature: the ability to automatically shorten links for OneDrive and SharePoint files.

 

We’ve made these updates to improve the readability of links to OneDrive and SharePoint files that are shared with recipients using Outlook for Windows. Senders will also be warned if Outlook detects potential access issues for recipients. Then they will be given the ability to address them prior to sending. This will ensure that the links you send will work for recipients.

 

How it works

When you’re composing an email, you can perform one of these actions:

• Copy a link to a file stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. Then paste it into the body of an email message.
• On the Message tab, select Link > Insert Link and select a file stored on OneDrive or SharePoint.
• Right-click the body of an email message and select Link > Insert Link. Then select a file stored on OneDrive or SharePoint.

Outlook will automatically add the file type icon (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and shorten the URL to the name of the document. You can undo this change and show the full URL. Just right-click the link and select Show Full URL.

 

You can manage the permissions for the link in the Link settings dialog box directly in Outlook by clicking on the link. You can also do so by right clicking the link and selecting Manage Access.

 

Link settings dialog box in Outlook

 

Outlook will display errors inline if the link will not work for the recipients of the email: 

Link permissions notice in Outlook

 

If Outlook is unable to detect whether a link will work (e.g. user is offline), a message informing the sender will be displayed:

Offline message notice in Outlook

 

 

 

Availability

This feature is available to Office 365 subscribers using Outlook for Windows on Insider Fast Version 2005 (Build 12810.20002) or later. We're releasing this feature to Insider Fast users during April.

 

We typically release features over some time to ensure that things are working smoothly. This is true for Insiders as well. We highlight features that you may not have because they're slowly releasing to larger numbers of Insiders. Sometimes we remove elements to further improve them based on your feedback. Though this is rare, we also reserve the option to pull a feature entirely out of the product, even if you, as Insiders, have had the opportunity to try them.

 

Feedback

We want to hear from you! Please go to Help > Feedback in Outlook to submit your thoughts about this feature.

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