Sometimes you need to hand a file or folder to someone else so they become the new owner. The easiest way to do that is by moving the content to a place they own.
Below are the two most common situations and the steps for each.
1. Changing ownership to another member of your team
If the person is part of your team, the cleanest way to hand off a file or folder is to move it into your Team’s SharePoint site. Once it’s there, everyone with the team’s normal permissions can access it, and your team collectively “owns” it.
Steps
Open OneDrive → My files.
Find the folder or file you want to hand off.
Select it.
Choose Move to from the toolbar.
In the menu that opens, select your Team’s site (you’ll see it under “Quick access” or “More places”).
Pick the folder in the Team site where it should live.
Select Move here.
After the move, the content belongs to the team instead of one person, which makes it easier to manage going forward.
2. Changing ownership to someone outside your team
If the person isn’t part of your team, the fastest way to hand off ownership is by giving them access and letting them move the file or folder into their own OneDrive.
Part A — You give them access
Open OneDrive → My files.
Find the folder or file.
Select it, then choose Share.
Click People you choose.
Type the person’s name or email.
Make sure they have Can Edit access.
Send the link.
This gives them permission to take over the content.
Part B — They move it into their OneDrive
Ask the new owner to:
Open the link you shared.
Select the folder or file.
Choose Move to.
Pick My files (their OneDrive).
Confirm the move.
Once they move it, they become the new owner. Your copy will move out of your OneDrive and into theirs.
Quick comparison
| Situation | How to transfer ownership |
|---|---|
| To someone on your team | Move the item into your Team’s SharePoint site |
| To someone outside your team | Share the item → give edit access → they move it into their own OneDrive |