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Unable to open some files in a shared folder

momo 20 Reputation points
2025-10-30T12:22:18.5833333+00:00

Hello,

I need to view files in a folder shared with me by someone from Microsoft. The folder contains JSON files and a PDF file. I can open the JSON files just fine, but when I try to open the PDF file, it says "Need permissions" or "Protected PDF; If you have a compatible PDF reader installed...".

I want to see whether the issue is with me or if I actually don't have access to the PDF. I am using the Edge browser and the OneDrive website when opening the file. I also tried downloading the file and opening it in Adobe Acrobat Reader, but it says no permission as well.

p.s. Only the PDF has File sensitivity label: Confidential \ Microsoft Extended

Thank you very much for any help or suggestions.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For education | MacOS
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Answer accepted by question author
  1. TiNo-T 9,260 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-10-30T13:12:22.51+00:00

    Dear @momo,

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

    Based on your description, I can see that the PDF file has a sensitivity label that enforces rights management (IRM), so it means:

    • Only users explicitly granted access can open it.
    • Even if the file is shared via OneDrive, the label overrides sharing permissions.
    • The label may restrict downloading, printing, or viewing unless the user is authenticated and authorized.

    Since you mention:

    • Can’t open the PDF in Edge or OneDrive.
    • Can’t open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader (even after downloading).
    • See messages like “Need permissions” or “Protected PDF”.

    This strongly suggests you do not have rights to view the file, even though it’s shared with you.

    Therefore, I have tried my best to research and found these suggested solutions that you can try to see if they can help you:

    1.You should check with the sender:

    • Ask them to verify that your email is explicitly granted access in the sensitivity label settings.
    • They may need to use Microsoft Purview or Outlook to re-share the file with proper permissions.

    You can consult in these links:

    2.You may try viewing protected PDFs using Microsoft Edge on Mac or Windows:

    • You should check which version of Microsoft Edge is installed on your system (Click the Settings and more option, which appears as ellipses "..." in the upper right of the browser window, and then click Settings > About Microsoft Edge.
    • If the Microsoft Edge version is 83.0.478.37 or above, you can open protected files directly in the Edge browser.
    • To open PDF files, click Open > Open in browser. The PDF file will open up in Edge.

    Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/view-protected-pdfs-using-microsoft-edge-on-windows-or-mac-643c3dbe-c4ed-477c-9acb-078398a7e2b5

    Also, you should check this method in the link above as well:

    User's image

    Additionally, I would like to advise you that please make sure to sign in with your work or school account before opening the file.

    I hope this information can help you in this case and please kindly correct me if I misunderstand your concern. Wish you a nice day!

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment". 

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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