Way to add network share location in Microsoft Teams

Question

I work at an office where we have plenty of files stored in SharePoint, OneDrive, etc. that I can easily connect into Microsoft Teams, but there are also a lot of files that are stored in a network share, with a path such as \\xxxx\xxxx\xxxx.

It looks like native MS Teams support of this scenario isn't really being considered right now, per UserVoice items such as this. Has anyone figured out how to link to a file location on a network share (everyone has access to it) in the Microsoft Teams Files viewer, even if it takes a few steps? I've tried a few steps such as trying to create shortcuts, and tried dragging a file location from the address bar in IE11 to the desktop to create a bookmark, to no avail.

I want easy access to these files, in the place in MS Teams where you go to get...files.

Answer 1

OneNote desktop app recognizes network paths such as \xxxx\xxxx\xxxx. Unfortunately, the OneNote web app (and viewer embedded in MS Teams), these links will show, but I don't think they will redirect correctly. So you can create a OneNote, insert the network drive link, and make a tab to the OneNote. Then to access the network drive, select the OneNote Tab created, then select open in desktop app, then click on the link.

Combersome, but it is a workaround to do what you want to do.

Answer 2

Unfortunately it doesn't support as the feature is not exposed yet. Being said i can think about the following workaround:

• Use PowerApps to setup a gateway to the File Server
• Allow browsing using an app that you can embed in a Teams Tab within a channel

Just see whether the above fits your scenario. If not, you need to wait till Teams engineering consider implementing the above feature request.