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To share an Apple Numbers spreadsheet, save it in iCloud Drive, open it in Numbers, and use the Share or Collaboration control to send an invitation link. Choose both who can open it—invited people or anyone with the link—and whether they can edit or only view. Collaboration requires iCloud Drive; available editing features depend on the recipient’s device and software.
Before you share: check iCloud and the file location
Numbers collaboration works with spreadsheets stored in iCloud Drive. Sign in with your Apple Account, turn on iCloud Drive for Numbers, and confirm the spreadsheet is saved there. Apple’s Numbers collaboration guide covers the setup and sharing workflow. If you use a managed Apple Account, your organization’s administrator may need to allow sharing with people outside the organization.
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Share the spreadsheet
- Open the spreadsheet in Numbers. Confirm that you have opened the iCloud Drive copy you intend to share.
- Open the sharing controls. Choose Share or Collaboration, then select the option to invite people or collaborate. The exact label and location vary by platform and software version.
- Set access scope. Choose “Only people you invite” or “Anyone with the link.”
- Set editing permission. Choose “Can make changes” to collaborate, or “View only” if recipients should not edit. If the control is available, decide whether participants can invite other people.
- Send the link. Choose one of the delivery methods offered by your device and send the invitation. If the spreadsheet is password-protected, send the password separately from the link.
Apple provides platform-specific instructions for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Button names and locations can differ by version.
Choose who can open the file and what they can do
| Setting | What it means | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Only people you invite | Access is limited to invited participants, who sign in with an Apple Account. | Use for more controlled sharing. Make sure you invite an address or phone number associated with the recipient’s Apple Account. |
| Anyone with the link | Anyone who gets the link can open the spreadsheet without an Apple Account, subject to the permission you selected. | Use when broad access is convenient and you are comfortable with link holders opening the file. |
| Can make changes | Recipients can edit the shared spreadsheet. | Use when you want people to work on the same file. |
| View only | Recipients can open the spreadsheet but cannot edit it. | Use when you want to share information without allowing changes. |
Access scope and editing permission are separate choices: decide both who may open the file and whether those people may make changes. For sensitive material, consider invited-only access and review who has permission before sending the invitation. Apple explains how to manage a shared spreadsheet, including access and participant controls.
What happens after you share
A collaboration link opens the shared spreadsheet rather than creating an independent exported copy. Changes made by collaborators are reflected for everyone in real time, and iCloud keeps the spreadsheet up to date across devices. See Apple’s guides to collaborating in Numbers and using Numbers with iCloud.
Shared folders can add another access requirement
If the spreadsheet is inside a shared folder, access to the file alone may not be enough: recipients also need access to the containing folder. Apple states that anyone with a link to a spreadsheet in a shared folder must have access to the entire folder to open it. Moving a spreadsheet into or out of a shared folder can also change who has access. See Apple’s shared-folder guidance.
Check whether recipients can edit
Apple’s current collaboration overview lists native-device collaboration for macOS 26 with Numbers 15.4, iOS 26 with Numbers 15.4, and iPadOS 26 with Numbers 15.4. It also lists Numbers for iCloud in a supported browser on a Mac running macOS 14 or later or on Windows. Apple says Android devices and Apple devices below its listed minimums can view, but not edit, shared spreadsheets. These requirements can change; check Apple’s current collaboration compatibility information if editing does not work on a recipient’s device.
Fix common sharing problems
The invitation does not open
For an invited-only share, check that the recipient is opening the invitation while signed in to the Apple Account associated with the email address or phone number you invited. If necessary, invite an address already associated with that account.
The recipient has the link but is denied access
Check whether the spreadsheet is restricted to invited people and whether the recipient was invited using the right account. If it is in a shared folder, confirm that the recipient can access that folder too.
The recipient can open the file but cannot edit
Check that the permission is “Can make changes.” If it is, confirm that the recipient’s device and software meet Apple’s editing requirements.
You need to change or remove access
Open the spreadsheet’s sharing or collaboration controls and use the shared-spreadsheet management options to change access or remove participants. If the file is in a shared folder, account for the folder’s permissions as well.
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