Dragging file into Teams to generate link instead and other link-related questions

[typewriter]

Maybe someone can advise if I'm just using Teams sub-optimally, but:

1) is it possible to drag a file (already on Teams/OneDrive) into a Teams chat and have it generate the link instead?

2) is it possible to open shared links (especially the ones shared in Teams) directly in Word/Excel? You currently need to do this via preview (dont need to preview) then selecting open with desktop app option. 

3) Shared links is a bunch of gibberish with no indicator of the actual filename or file type. Are there any ways around this or at least reduce the URL that is shown (the Teams URL link is 6 lines long)? Is the current implementation a security thing?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Hi @typewriter 

There is a few roadmap items that should improve this experience

File experience

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?featureid=30548

Shared links

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?featureid=51230

1.) Can't drag and drop currently within Teams, doesn't generate a link. Currently, it's only the ability to get the link via the file in a Teams Channel, in OneDrive or via the attachment icon under the area where you post. Getting the link generates a long link. You could use an URL shortener but this does not make it memorable (I.e. shorten to file name/type). The new shared link experience ought to improve this. Demo's at Ignite last November showed it shortening the URL to a file name within Teams

2.) Well known uservoice for this here

https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/34501303-open-links-to-teams-i...

Would recommend you vote on this to push it up the agenda. I don't think the roadmap items will improve this particular point. Currently, links to files open in the web app. A lot of users want to see these open in the desktop clients by default. It should be an option.

3.) The new shared link experience ought to improve this (see point 1) by reducing the URL to the file name within Teams. Outside of Teams, or within documents a URL shortener can still be used (and there is a uservoice to embed a shortener which can generate links in Teams). I have never heard of this being security related and AFAIK it is to do with the architecture and lack of a shortener 

Hope that answers your questions!

Best, Chris

[#3]

2. Should possibly be fixed with the New Shared Links etc. Because you can set a SharePoint library to open files by default in the client instead of web. Not sure if Teams will override this, but there is hope there as when clicking those files should technically then open the clients, but we'll see.