Opening files in the OneDrive tab in MS Teams - inconsistent behaviour

Question

Opening files in the OneDrive tab in MS Teams - inconsistent behaviour

Binesh Patel 20

I am hoping someone can help me figure out some very inconsistent behaviour when opening files from the OneDrive tab in MS Teams.

If I navigate to the OneDrive tab in MS Teams and click on a file in the Home screen to open it, the file will open the related application in a new browser window.

However, if I mark the same file as a favourite, navigate to the Favourites screen (still in the OneDrive tab in MS Teams) and click on the file to open it, it will open within the Teams window.

I want all files to open in the Teams window, regardless of whether I open them in the Home screen or the Favourites screen.

Can anyone please advise how I can achieve this please?

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Binesh Patel 20 Reputation points

2025-08-29T14:39:32.0466667+00:00

Sorry, just to add I am aware that I have the option to click the ... and select Open -> Edit in Teams, but want to know if there is any way I can just click on the file name to open it in Teams.

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Binesh Patel 20 Reputation points

2025-08-29T14:39:32.0466667+00:00

Sorry, just to add I am aware that I have the option to click the ... and select Open -> Edit in Teams, but want to know if there is any way I can just click on the file name to open it in Teams.

Answer 1

Lia V 3,465 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @Binesh Patel,

Thank you for reaching out to the Q&A forum!

To assist you better, could you help me with the following:

Are you signed in with a personal Microsoft account (like outlook.com or hotmail.com), or with a work or school account?
Are the files you are trying to open are Word, Excel and PowerPoint or other file types?

In the meantime, I'd like to provide some information regarding your concern. Microsoft has recently introduced a feature that allows users to set their preferred method for opening Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, either within Teams, in the desktop app, or in a browser with roadmap ID: 471000.

However, this feature is currently being rolled out gradually and may not yet be available to all customers. Availability can vary depending on your account type, region, and whether you're using the Teams desktop app. You can see more information on this feature here: Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365

To check if this feature is available for you, please try the following steps:

Open the Microsoft Teams desktop app.
Click on the three dots next to your profile picture in the top-right corner and select Settings.
Navigate to Files and links.

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Look for the section Always open Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files in.

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If available, select Teams as your preferred option to ensure files open within the Teams window.
Please note that this preference only applies to supported file types (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

If you do not see this option yet, it may become available soon as Microsoft continues the rollout. We recommend keeping your Teams app updated to ensure you receive the latest features.

Please let us know if you have any questions or need further assistance. We’re happy to help.

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.

Binesh Patel 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T08:35:36.62+00:00

Hi Lia,

Thanks for your response.

In answer to your question, I am signed into a work account, and all the files I am trying to open are either Word or Excel documents.

Also, I do have the option available in my Teams settings to go to Files and links and set the 'Always open Word, Powerpoint, and Excel files in' to Teams - I have already done this and the issue persists.

I have also toggled this setting several times and the issue still persists.

Is there anything else you can suggest please, or is this a glitch in MS Teams I have to live with?

Thanks
Binesh Patel 20 Reputation points

2025-09-03T07:33:45.56+00:00

Hi, please can someone respond to my additional comments? Thanks
Lia V 3,465 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-09-03T17:27:53.56+00:00

Hi @Binesh Patel

Thank you for your thoughtful follow-up, and my apologies for the delayed response as I was out of office for a couple of days.

I’d like to provide some clarity on the behavior you’re seeing when opening files from the OneDrive tab in Microsoft Teams.

When a file is opened from the Home screen, it typically launches in a browser window. This is because links from the Home tab are treated as standard OneDrive links, which default to browser-based opening. In contrast, files accessed via the Shared or Favorites tabs are optimized for Teams and more consistently respect your “open in Teams” preference.

I’ve explored several methods to work around this behavior, but based on current product design, this inconsistency appears to be intentional. Microsoft Teams handles file links differently depending on the context, and while the settings you’ve configured are correct, they don’t apply uniformly across all views.

I know this isn’t the answer you were hoping for, and I truly wish I had a way to make this change for you directly. As a moderator in the Q&A forum, my role is to assist with the current product capabilities, while decisions around feature design and development rest entirely with our product team.

That said, the most effective way to advocate for this feature is by submitting feedback through the Microsoft 365 Feedback Hub. Our product team actively monitors this platform, and features with strong community support often receive greater attention and prioritization. Many improvements in Teams have come directly from customer input, and your voice can help shape future updates.

To support this effort and help others with similar needs discover and contribute to the request, I kindly recommend clicking "Accept Answer" and giving it an upvote. This not only highlights the demand for the feature but also helps Microsoft recognize its importance to users like yourself.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or need additional assistance and I will be happy to help.

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Opening files in the OneDrive tab in MS Teams - inconsistent behaviour

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