Shared Word files on Onedrive are read-only and cannot be edited

Question

An employee at work has the following problem

(1) A user shares a Word file saved on Onedrive with multiple people.
(2) Among the shared users, only a specific user is able to edit the file because it is read-only.
(3) When the URL of the shared Onedrive is accessed, the file is opened in Office Online and can be edited.
(4) When switching from Office Online to the desktop application, the file becomes read-only.

Does anyone know how to cancel the read-only mode or how to make it possible to edit?
Please check.

Answer 1

We encountered a similar issue, and here's how we resolved it:

The problem stems from how OneDrive handles files when using the "Files On-Demand" or "Free Up Space" options. If these settings are enabled, the file may not fully download to the user's device, which can cause it to open in read-only mode in the desktop application.

Fix:

Ensure the file is fully downloaded:

• On Windows:

  - Right-click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar.
  
        - Select **Settings** > **Advanced Settings**.
  
              - Disable "Files On-Demand" or ensure the file is downloaded by right-clicking it and choosing **Always Keep on This Device**.
  
                 - On **Mac**:
  
                       - Open the OneDrive app.
  
                             - Go to **Preferences** > **Settings**.
  
                                   - Uncheck "Files On-Demand" or manually download the file by right-clicking it and selecting **Always Keep on This Device**.
  
                                   **Reopen the file in the desktop application**:
  
                                      - Once the file is fully downloaded, it should no longer open in read-only mode.
  

This ensures the file is locally available on the device, resolving the read-only issue when switching from Office Online to the desktop application.