---
schema_version: "1"
id: b639213883b90f7df027621ab813d16b7e09642d29d84f0ba420f96d4e1b0b1f
title: Access and Share Files Connect External Files
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/experience/264-0-0/collab_files_connect_share.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.collab_files_connect_share.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 413974de8078e1374771c20a67db690c510293267641f092a9f7f2048cd1ffb5
description: After your admin enables Files Connect, you can access files from external sources, like Google Drive and SharePoint, or share them through feeds and Files home.
products:
  - Experiences
release: "264"
---
# Access and Share Files Connect External Files

After your admin enables Files Connect, you can access files from external sources, like Google Drive and SharePoint, or share them through feeds and Files home.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Files Connect for cloud-based external data sources is available in: <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
      <colgroup>
        <col style="width:50%">
        <col style="width:50%">
      </colgroup>
      <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
        <tr class="">
          <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d37586e71">User Permissions
            Needed</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d37586e71 ">To access cloud-based data sources like SharePoint Online:</td>

          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d37586e71 ">Files Connect Cloud</td>

        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>

## Download or Share Files on Files Home

Download external files to your local system or share them with a set of people in your org from Files home.

1. Navigate to Files home.
2. The External Files list in the left column shows available external data sources. Select one and navigate through the folders, or use the search bar to find a file.
    
    ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-experience-collaboration-264-0-0-production-enus/1aab5b5e-c990-4b8c-840a-6fb18af49709/images/icon_note.png)
    
    Note
    
    - Salesforce supports Google documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and drawings. In the Recent list, Google Drive content is limited to the 24 most recently accessed documents from the last 30 days.
    - SharePoint folders with special characters, such as # or %, appear in the list, but you can’t see or access any files in them.
3. Click ![Actions menu](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-experience-collaboration-264-0-0-production-enus/1aab5b5e-c990-4b8c-840a-6fb18af49709/collaboration/images/tables_open_row_menu.png) next to the file name, and choose one of the following:
    - **Open** the file in the external data source, such as SharePoint.
    - **Download** the file to your local system.
    - **Share** the file either as a copy or as a reference. Your admin has determined which type of sharing is used in your org. When sharing, you do one of the following:
        - **Share a copy** of the external file stored in Salesforce. If files are shared with a Chatter group, all group members can access the files, even if members lack access to the external system. Salesforce Files doesn’t reflect any revisions to the file in external systems.
        - **Share a reference** to the external file stored outside Salesforce. Only users with access to the external system can download files. (Users must enter credentials for the system in the Authentication Settings for External Systems section of personal setup). Salesforce Files doesn’t reflect revisions to the file in external systems, but the reference points to the latest file version in those systems.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-experience-collaboration-264-0-0-production-enus/1aab5b5e-c990-4b8c-840a-6fb18af49709/images/icon_note.png)

Note To download files referenced from an external system, users must enter credentials for the system in the Authentication Settings for External Systems section of personal setup.

When a user selects an external file from the file selector, a file reference or copy is created in Salesforce. If a file reference exists, it’s reused.

## Share Files in the Feed

If you want to include external files in a specific Chatter conversation, use the feed. All files shared in the feed are either copies or references, as determined by your admin.

In Salesforce Classic

1. While authoring a post, click **File** above the feed, and then click **Select a file from Salesforce**.
2. In the left column, click the external source, such as SharePoint.
3. Next to the file you want to share, click **Attach**.
4. In the body of your post, @mention the groups or people you want to share with.

![External files in feed](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-experience-collaboration-264-0-0-production-enus/1aab5b5e-c990-4b8c-840a-6fb18af49709/collaboration/images/fc_feed.png)

In Lightning Experience

1. While authoring a post, click the paperclip icon below the post to open the Select File window.
2. From the left column, click the external source, such as SharePoint or Google Drive.
3. Select the file you want to share, and click **Add**.
4. In the body of your post, @mention groups or people that you want to share with.

![External files in Lightning Experience feed](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-experience-collaboration-264-0-0-production-enus/1aab5b5e-c990-4b8c-840a-6fb18af49709/collaboration/images/fc_feed_SFX.png)

When you paste a link to an external document into a Chatter post, it’s converted into a Files Connect file reference. Under the body of your post, the file title and icon appear. Click the icon to open the file preview right from your feed. A file reference is created for the first link in each post. File references are not created for links in comments.

![External file link converted to file reference in Lightning Experience](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-experience-collaboration-264-0-0-production-enus/1aab5b5e-c990-4b8c-840a-6fb18af49709/collaboration/images/files_convert_link.png)

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-experience-collaboration-264-0-0-production-enus/1aab5b5e-c990-4b8c-840a-6fb18af49709/images/icon_note.png)

Note File previews are only available for files connected through Sharepoint, Google Drive, and Quip integrations.

#### See Also

- [Share Files with People in Salesforce Classic](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.collab_files_sharing_people.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Share files with people privately and set Viewer or Collaborator access for each person that you share the file with.")
- [Share Files with Groups](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.collab_files_sharing_groups.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Share files in Chatter with public or private groups so that members of the groups can view and download the files from their feed.")
- [Share Files with Libraries in Salesforce Classic](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.collab_files_share_with_libraries.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Share files with libraries to take advantage of the permission-setting capabilities of content libraries while still using the features of Salesforce Files.")