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Sharing Links Activity Reports

The Sharing Links Activity reports show administrators which SharePoint sites created the most new sharing links over the last 28 days. Part of the Data Access Governance reports in SharePoint Advanced Management, they come as three separate reports - one for Anyone links, one for People in the organization links, and one for Specific people links shared externally. Where the permissions snapshot shows the exposure you already have, these activity reports catch new oversharing as it happens.
Related Features
Everyone Except External Users (EEEU) Report, Sensitivity Label Snapshot Report, Site Permissions Across Your Organization

Common Use Cases

  • Catching new oversharing: seeing where new sharing links are created, as it happens
  • Anyone-link monitoring: the riskiest links get their own report
  • Org-wide link review: tracking People in the organization links exposure
  • External-share tracking: watching Specific people links shared with external users
  • Habit correction: finding the busiest-sharing sites and coaching them
  • Copilot readiness: stopping new exposure before Copilot amplifies it

Benefits

  • Catches exposure in motion: complements the permissions snapshot’s point-in-time view
  • Three link types separated: Anyone, organization, and external in dedicated reports
  • Protection context per site: sensitivity label, device controls, external sharing, primary admin
  • Spot risky combinations: busiest sharers that are also least protected
  • Copilot-relevant: corrects oversharing habits before amplification
  • Tenant-scale CSV: up to 1 million sites

How It Works

  • Lives in the SharePoint Admin Center: App Launcher, Admin, SharePoint admin center, Data access governance under Reports, Activity reports, Sharing links
  • Three reports: Anyone links, People in the organization links, and Specific people links shared externally
  • Covers the last 28 days: ranks sites by new links of each type
  • Admin only: only SharePoint administrators can create and view it; site owners and regular users have no access
  • Licensing: the tenant needs either the SharePoint Advanced Management add-on license or a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, which includes Advanced Management
  • Output: an on-screen view of the top 100 sites per report, plus a CSV covering up to 1 million sites

Limits and Nuances

  • Three reports: run Anyone links, People in the organization links, or Specific people links shared externally
  • SharePoint only: the admin center reports cover SharePoint sites only; OneDrive data is available through PowerShell
  • Freshness: reports may take up to 24 hours to complete and can be re-run only every 24 hours, so run them manually for fresh data
  • Recommended sequence: Microsoft recommends generating the site permissions report first as a baseline, then running these monthly

Common Questions About the Sharing Links Activity Reports

What do the Sharing Links Activity reports show?

They rank the SharePoint sites where users created the most new sharing links in the last 28 days. There are three reports – one each for Anyone links, People in the organization links, and Specific people links shared externally – and each row includes the site policies and primary administrator.

What is the difference between the three link types?

Anyone links work for anyone holding the link, with no sign-in. People in the organization links open content to every internal user. Specific people links name individual recipients, and the report focuses on those shared with external users. Anyone links are the riskiest of the three, which is why they get their own report.

What license is required to run this report?

You need either the SharePoint Advanced Management add-on license or a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, which includes Advanced Management. Licensing packages change often, so check Microsoft’s official requirements before planning around it.

Does it cover OneDrive?

Not in the admin center – the on-screen reports cover SharePoint sites only. OneDrive sharing link data is available through the SharePoint Online PowerShell module.

How often should I run them?

Microsoft recommends monthly, after first generating the site permissions report as your baseline. Each report can be re-run every 24 hours at most and may take up to 24 hours to complete, so plan for a manual cadence rather than expecting live data.

How does this report help with Microsoft 365 Copilot readiness?

Sharing links are how oversharing spreads day to day. The permissions snapshot tells you where exposure already exists; these activity reports tell you where new exposure is being created right now – so you can correct habits on the busiest sites before Copilot amplifies them.