Others cannot open your shared file link typically due to permissions or access restrictions. When you share a link, it relies on specific settings dictating who can access it and how. Common barriers include the link being restricted to only certain people (like specific email addresses), requiring the recipient to sign in with an approved account (often your organization's), or the file being stored in a location not intended for external sharing, such as a personal cloud drive with limited permissions.

For example, in corporate settings using Microsoft 365, if you share a link from your OneDrive but set it to "People in [Your Organization] only," recipients outside your company won't access it. Similarly, university platforms like Canvas might require file links to be accessed only by students enrolled in a particular course, blocking others even with the direct URL.

While link restrictions enhance security and control over sensitive data, they can cause frustration for legitimate recipients. Always double-check your sharing permissions before sending a link. Best practices include verifying if the link settings match the recipient's access level (e.g., "Anyone with the link") and confirming your storage platform allows external sharing for that file. If problems persist, generating a new link or directly inviting the recipient via email often resolves the issue.