Share and edit a spreadsheet on iCloud

If you save your spreadsheet in iCloud, you can share a link to it on supported browser on a Mac or Windows computer, and see all the changes others have made. By default, others can edit the spreadsheet, but you can change the permissions so they can only view it.

If you want to restrict access to your spreadsheet, you can add a password to it.

Share a spreadsheet on iCloud

If you saved a spreadsheet to iCloud, you can share a link to it via Mail, Messages, Twitter, and Facebook.

To share with Mail, Messages, Twitter, or Facebook, you need to set up that account on your Mac; go to System Preferences, then click Internet Accounts.

  1. Click Share Share button in the toolbar.

  2. Click View Share Settings, then do any of the following:

    • Set permissions: Choose Allow Editing from the Permissions pop-up menu if you want recipients of the link to be able to edit the spreadsheet. Choose View Only if you want recipients to read, but not edit, the spreadsheet.

    • Set a password: Click Add Password to require a password to open the spreadsheet. Enter the requested password information, then click Set Password. You—and anyone you share your spreadsheet with—need to enter the password to open it.

      Note: If the spreadsheet already has a password, you see a Change Password button. The existing password applies to the spreadsheet when you share it; you don’t need to change it unless you want to.

  3. Click Share Spreadsheet.

    If you haven’t already moved your spreadsheet to iCloud, you can do so in the dialog that appears.

  4. Click Send Link, then choose Email, Messages, Twitter, or Facebook

  5. Enter the requested information.

    The full link appears in the body of the email, tweet, or post—be sure not to delete it or modify it. You can also copy the link and share it using a different app.

Any further edits you make to the spreadsheet after you share it are visible to the recipients of the link.

Password-protect a shared spreadsheet

If your spreadsheet is already being shared, you can still add a password to it. Be sure to notify collaborators of the password so that they can open the spreadsheet.

  1. Choose File > Set Password (from the File menu at the top of your computer screen), then enter the password in the Password field.

  2. Enter the requested information.

    Select the checkbox if you want to add the password to your keychain.

  3. Click Set Password.

To change or remove the password, choose File > Change Password.

Change permissions for a shared spreadsheet

You can change whether a shared document can be edited or is only viewable.

  1. Click Share Shared button in the toolbar, then choose View Share Settings.

  2. Choose an option from the Permissions pop-up menu, then click Close.

Resend a spreadsheet link

You can share a spreadsheet link as many times as you wish.

  1. Click Share Shared button in the toolbar, then choose View Share Settings.

  2. Click Send Link, then choose Email, Messages, Twitter, or Facebook.

  3. Enter the requested information (for example, an email address or Twitter account).

    The full link appears in the body of the email, tweet, or post—be sure not to delete it or modify it.

Copy a spreadsheet link

You can copy the link to your spreadsheet and then share it by pasting it anywhere you want, such as in an email, or to Twitter or Facebook.

  • Click Share Shared button in the toolbar, click Share Link via iCloud, then choose Copy Link.

The link is copied to your computer’s clipboard so you can paste it somewhere else.

To paste, place the insertion point where you want the link to appear, then choose Edit > Paste (from the Edit menu at the top of your computer screen).

Turn off iCloud sharing for a spreadsheet

  1. Click Share Shared button in the toolbar, then choose View Share Settings.

  2. Click Stop Sharing at the bottom of the pane.

Your spreadsheet link doesn’t change when you stop sharing. If you choose to share your spreadsheet again, use the same link.