# Guest Access vs. External Access

## Guest Access vs. External Access

There are two types of access for guests and external users in **Microsoft 365: guest access and external access**. Guest access allows externals to be added as guests to an existing organization. They will have rights almost similar to an internal user. Managing Microsoft Teams guest access is the main feature of [External User Manager](https://www.solutions2share.com/external-user-manager/). It’s a tool that cuts down the hassle, ensures compliance and boosts security when managing guest access.

External access allows external users to communicate with Teams users of your organization via private chat messages. So for external sharing of documents, you would need to use guest access. As an additional security measure, you can limit the external domains your users can communicate with.

## Collaborating With Guests and External Users Outside The Organization: Advantages and Disadvantages

There are both advantages and disadvantages to collaborating with guests and externals in Microsoft Teams.

On the plus side, cooperating with people outside your organization can help to **broaden the perspective** of those working on a project. It can also lead to new and innovative ideas. If people need to **collaborate with externals**, working together in the same Teams environment is efficient. Exchanging emails and always having to check in for new developments would definitely take more effort. Also, when a file is sent by email and then collaborated on, you can never be sure that you have the most recent version. In Microsoft Teams, however, guests and team members can **work on the same file together**. All information is always available to everyone.

There can also be downsides of allowing externals access to teams and channels. A **loss of control** over the data of the project is the most important one. If guests have access to your Microsoft Teams, they can also download your files. Maybe they gain access to information that was not meant to be shared externally. This is why setting the correct [permissions for external guests](https://www.solutions2share.com/microsoft-teams-permissions/) in Teams is vital – more on that topic later.

Ultimately, it is important to weigh the pros and cons carefully. You should make an informed decision on whether or not to collaborate with guests in Microsoft Teams. It also makes sense to educate your users about the potential dangers.

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## REFERENCES

* <https://www.solutions2share.com/microsoft-teams-guest-access/>
