We’ve all been there: you’re finishing a project, you hit “Share,” and you send a link to “People in my organization.” It feels efficient in the moment, but have you ever thought about that link six months later? Or two years down the line?

In our fast-paced digital workspaces, we often leave “digital doors” wide open behind us. I’m happy to share that Microsoft is introducing a small change with a massive impact. Starting in mid-March 2026, expiration policies are coming to those internal sharing links in SharePoint and OneDrive.

While this might sound like a technical update, it is actually a breath of fresh air for our daily digital habits.

The problem with “Forever” Links

Think of a sharing link like a spare key to a room in your office. When you’re collaborating, everyone needs a key. But once the project ends, those keys usually stay out there, tucked away in old emails or chat histories.

If someone’s role changes or a project becomes sensitive, you don’t necessarily want every link you’ve ever created to remain active indefinitely. The bigger picture here isn’t about making things harder. It’s about Digital Hygiene. Just like we declutter our physical desks, we need to declutter the digital permissions we leave floating around.

Why this is a must-have

Setting an expiration date on internal links offers three major wins:

• Security Without the Stress: This minimizes “stale access.” If a link expires after 90 days, you don’t have to worry about old files resurfacing years later.
• Intentional Sharing: It encourages us to think about how long a team actually needs a file. It turns sharing from a “set it and forget it” action into purposeful collaboration.
• Governance on Autopilot: For the admins running the show, this allows for safety guardrails that work in the background so the rest of us can focus on creating.

How it works

Don’t worry, nothing is going to break overnight. Here is the lowdown on the rollout:

1. Flexibility First: Your organization can set different limits for SharePoint and OneDrive. They can even set a “Recommended” date as a gentle nudge while allowing a longer “Maximum” date if needed.
2. No Retroactive Surprises: The new rules mostly apply to links created after the policy is set. However, if you click an old link after the rollout, the new expiration clock might start ticking then.
3. You Stay in Control: When you go to share a file, you will see a suggested expiration date. You can often adjust it to fit your specific needs, as long as it stays within the safety limits your company has set.

Looking ahead

This update is a step toward a more secure, organized, and mindful way of working together. It ensures that our data is only accessible to the right people at the right time.

If you’re an admin, now is the perfect time to start chatting with your teams about what a reasonable link lifespan looks like. Is it 30 days? 180? If you’re a user, get ready for a cleaner, safer way to collaborate.

About the author

Rene Vlieger

Microsoft 365 Copilot MVP | MCT | MS365NEWS.COM | Microsoft 365 | Governance | Compliance | (Data)-Security | Mentor | Coach

Vlieger, R (16/03/2026) Give your data an expiration data: Why smarter sharing is HERE. Give your data an expiration data: Why smarter sharing is HERE