Option "block download" not showing

[DiVojich]

Hi all,

I have around 10 users in 1 office who don't have the option "BLOCK DOWNLOAD" on their ODB apps.

They only see this option for Office files (Word, Excel, etc...) for non-office files such as PDF's, option is not showing.

Is that by default MS design or am I missing something?

If it is by default MS design, can you recommend some articles that would confirm this statement?

Kind regards,

Dino

[#2]

That's the default behavior afaik.

[#3]

Hi Vasil,
thanks for the info.
Any evidence/article that would support this claim?
Kr,

[#4 · Accepted solution]

I don't have an article handy but can confirm that we currently only support Block Download for Office files.

That being said, we are working on Block Download for other file types (as announced in the Sharing talk at Ignite last year) and you should keep an eye on Message Center for more news on that soon 🙂

Thanks!

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

[#5]

@StephenRiceI'm using the free version of OneDrive and trying to block downloading on a shared PowerPoint file, but the block download toggle doesn't exist. Does this feature not exist for the free accounts?

[#6]

Hi @daniel-tamarack,

The Block Download feature is only available for enterprise SKU's of OneDrive and is not available in our consumer application. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

[#7]

@StephenRiceThanks so much for the quick response. I'm trying to share a presentation with people and need to make sure they can't download it. I guess I could try to turn this into a video, but would love to be able to share as a PPT. Any other directions we should consider on the consumer side? Thanks!

[#8]

Hi @daniel-tamarack,

I think it will depend on why you are hoping to prevent download here. Sharing a view link allows download but prevents recipients from being able to change the actual document. Otherwise, video might be the best approach here. Thanks!

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

[#9]

@StephenRiceI'd like to send a link to a PPT for people to view, but I don't want them to be able to download and edit the slides. When I set the share settings to anyone with link can view, unchecking the "Allow Editing" box, and then I send the link to someone, they are able to click the download button, open it in PPT, and edit it. I feel like I'm missing something here. Thanks for any help you can offer that points me to how I'm using this wrong, or if there's actually a bug.

[#10]

Hi @daniel-tamarack,

The Allow Editing checkbox is more about allowing others to edit your version of the file (e.g. the actual file that is stored in your OneDrive). If a user downloads & then edits the file, they are editing their local copy but none of their changes are saved back to the original. The rule of thumb is that if you're looking to coauthor and collaborate on a document (e.g. multiple editors), that is where "Allow editing" is useful. If you just want them to view the file, then share with the "view" permission. Hope that helps!

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

[#11]

@StephenRiceThanks for responding. I think it sounds like we can't do what I need. I want them not to be able to download and make their own local PPT copy of the presentation. Block Downloaded sounded like the right direction, but sounds like that's not a feature I can access. Thanks!

[#12]

Hi @Richard_Technician,

Unfortunately, we don't support Block Download on video file types just yet. Team is working on it though so stay tuned! 🙂 

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

[#13]

@StephenRice  any news regarding the possibility of blocking video downloads?

Now that Teams' recordings are made in SharePoint, it's a must.

[#14]

Hi @cjescudero,

No official news on this one just yet. But you may want to keep an eye on Message Center this week 😉 

Edit: Maybe next week 😉

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

[#15]

Hi @StephenRice, I'm wanting to share a video to a client, but I don't want them to download it. Since this feature is only for Office made files, can you suggest a work around? Cheers.

[#16]

Hi @Stephanie930,

Stay tuned... 😉

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

[#17]

Hi @Stephanie930 

You could insert the video to a powerpoint presentation and share this file with the "block download" option. Please verify this workaround if it works as expected.

Hope this helps and regards.

[#18]

Hi @StephenRice

Thanks for the hint with the message center.
I just got the announcement for this feature today:
Great job.
Link to the Microsoft Roadmap.

[#19]

@Lars365 😉

Excited to get this one out there!

[#20]

@StephenRice  Hey
Is that mean mp4 files which where already in my oneDrive (while a go) will have this option of "block download" too?
Or only new files that I will add to oneDrive?

Thanks