Microsoft Teams: Can You See Who Opened a File? (2024)

The quickest way to share files on Microsoft Teams is via the Files tab. All you need to do is upload your files, and the other team members can instantly access them. But how do you know if someone has opened and viewed the files you shared in the Files section? Let’s find out!

Contents

  • 1 Can You See Who Viewed Files on MS Teams?
    • 1.1 Check SharePoint File Details
    • 1.2 Use the Digital Activity Report From Insights
    • 1.3 Conclusion

Can You See Who Viewed Files on MS Teams?

As a quick reminder, your Teams files are actually stored in SharePoint. To check how many people have opened a specific file, open the file details on SharePoint.

  1. Go to your Teams channel.
  2. Click on the Files tab.
  3. Click on Open in SharePoint.
  4. Sign in to your SharePoint account in a new browser tab.
  5. Then, please select the file you want to check but don’t click on its name.
  6. Click the Info icon to open the file details.
  7. You can see how many people opened the individual file.

Microsoft Teams: Can You See Who Opened a File? (1)

Depending on your organization’s settings, you can also see who opened specific files. If you’re a site owner, you can edit your organization-level sharing settings to let people know who viewed files or pages on the site. Follow the steps below to get the job done.

  1. Go to your SharePoint site.
  2. Click on the Settings icon.
  3. Select Site information.
  4. Then, click on View all site settings.
  5. Under Site Actions, click on Manage site features.
  6. Scroll down to SharePoint Viewers.
  7. Select Activate to enable the file card that displays information about viewers and file activities.

To open the file card, go to Document library, hover over a file, or click on the three-dots. The file card appears next to the respective file.Microsoft Teams: Can You See Who Opened a File? (2)

⇒ Note: After enabling the “SharePoint Viewers” option, you may need to wait for 10 to 30 minutes for the file cards to become available.

Use the Digital Activity Report From Insights

Microsoft Teams: Can You See Who Opened a File? (3)

Alternatively, you can use the Insights app to check whether people have opened a file or not. Use the Digital Activity Report tool to check if users opened and edited a file, attended a meeting, visited a channel, and so on.

Use filters to customize your reports depending on your needs. For example, you can use the Student filter to narrow the data down to individual students and specific time frames. You can also use the Activity filter to view data related to file use, assignments, meetings, and so on. The best part is that you can export data from the Digital Activity Report to Excel.

By the way, if the Insights app won’t work, be sure to enable the Engagement report and update Teams.

Conclusion

To check who opened a file on Microsoft Teams, install the Insights app and use the Digital Activity Report. The tool can retrieve a wide variety of data, including information about who opened and edited specific files. Alternatively, you can also check the file details on SharePoint.

Did you find other ways to check who viewed the files you shared on Microsoft Teams? Share your ideas in the comments below.

Microsoft Teams: Can You See Who Opened a File? (2024)

FAQs

How do I see who has viewed a document? ›

When you share your Google Doc with others, you may want to keep track of who's seen it. The Activity dashboard can show you who has viewed your document, when they viewed it, and more.

Can teachers see when you open a file on Teams? ›

They can see it if they know where to look. Very gerally, Teams tells the teacher when a student has interacted with an assignment. With regards to a specific file that was uploaded to an assignment, the teacher can use the 'open in SharePoint' button in the 'files' tab on any of the channels.

Can you see when someone read something on Teams? ›

Turn on or turn off read receipts

Note: By default, read receipts are on for everyone. Your admin decides whether you can turn this setting off. To see or change this option, select your profile picture at the top of the app, then select Settings > General. From there, turn on or off Read receipts.

How to check who has a file opened? ›

You can use Computer Management and connect to the server that is hosting the file. Then you can look at System Tools > Shated Folders > Open Files. Find the file are being asked about in the list on the right. Beside the file name you will see who has it open and the Open Mode (read only; read-write).

Can you track someone's activity on Teams? ›

You can view the user activity in the Teams report by choosing the User activity tab. Select Choose columns to add or remove columns from the report. You can also export the report data into an Excel . csv file by selecting the Export link.

Can people see who viewed their document? ›

File activity includes the names of users who have viewed Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files and the time they viewed them. Using this data, file editors can make informed decisions about following up with collaborators.

Can I see who viewed my drive files? ›

You can only see who viewed your Google Drive files if you shared them with specific individuals or groups. If you shared the file with “anyone with the link” or set it to the public, you wouldn't be able to track who accessed it. Lastly, you must have edit access to the file in question.

Can you see who has accessed a Word document? ›

On a network, as an administrator, you may be able to see if someone accessed or modified a Word document, but you typically cannot see if someone viewed a Word document. This is because viewing a Word document does not leave any log or trace on the network.

Can my boss see my Teams activity? ›

Your employer can see any activity that occurs on Microsoft Teams. This includes all messages, posts, and comments that you make, as well as any files that you upload or share.

Does Teams have file history? ›

Step 2: Click on the Files tab in that channel

Once you are in the correct Channel, click the file tab that is located across the top toolbar. This tab will show you all the past files that have been sent in by you and other members of the channel.

Does Microsoft Teams show history? ›

Calls can be reviewed by clicking the “History” option under the Calls menu. A more detailed activity log can be found under the Activity tab, indicated by a bell and usually found in the upper corner of the toolbar. Alternatively, click on the Chats tab and filter by meetings to browse your meeting log.

Can you see who has viewed a Teams post? ›

Read receipts are enabled by default and are available in group chats and one-on-one chats. To verify who's read your message in a chat, tap and hold the message, then tap Seen by.

Can your manager read your Teams? ›

What Your Boss Can REALLY See on Microsoft Teams! Every action leaves a digital footprint that your employer can trace. From your one-on-one chat messages to the creation and deletion of teams, your employer has a panoramic view of your digital interactions.

Can Microsoft Teams see what you are doing? ›

These tools allow employers to access privacy settings and turn off employee monitoring. However, Microsoft starts tracking employee activity by default when it first loads. Additionally, the Microsoft Teams productivity tracker and the usage analytics don't require employee consent during data collection.

Can you see file history in Teams? ›

Check the version history: Teams saves a version history of your file. You can check the version history to see if your changes were saved in a previous version. To do this, click on the file in Teams, then click on the three dots (...) on the top right corner of the screen, and select "Version history".

Can my boss see Teams activity? ›

Your employer can see any activity that occurs on Microsoft Teams. This includes all messages, posts, and comments that you make, as well as any files that you upload or share.

Can you see who viewed your profile on Teams? ›

No, someone cannot tell if you've looked at their profile or status in Teams unless you interact with them in some way, such as sending a message or calling them. However, your employer may be able to track your activity on Teams if they have enabled activity tracking.

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