What are the three different authentication methods in SharePoint Online/OneDrive and what do they mean?

What are the three different authentication methods in SharePoint Online/OneDrive and what do they mean?

What are the three different authentication methods in SharePoint Online/OneDrive and what do they mean?

Modified on: Tue, 17 Mar, 2026 at 3:44 PM

LinkFixer Advanced supports three authentication methods for SharePoint Online and OneDrive. Each method is designed for different environments and security configurations.



1. Username/Password

This method is intended for non-MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) accounts.
  1. Used with managed (cloud-based) SharePoint Online or OneDrive accounts
  1. Suitable when your computer is not connected to your organization’s network
  1. Authentication is performed directly using the provided credentials
  1. Does not require administrator involvement
This is the simplest authentication method, as it does not require tenant administrator approval.

2. Office 365

This method supports MFA-enabled accounts and federated identity providers (such as SAML-based systems like Okta).
  1. Enables modern authentication
  1. May require a one-time Admin Consent from a Global Administrator, depending on your SharePoint configuration
  1. Allows secure sign-in using Office 365 credentials
Note: In some environments, administrator consent may still be required due to how the SharePoint infrastructure is configured. This does not grant elevated privileges to the user or application.

This method includes all the capabilities of standard Office 365 authentication, with additional support for SharePoint Document ID-based links.
Supports MFA-enabled accounts
  1. Requires a one-time Global Administrator consent
  1. Enables processing of links using the SharePoint Document ID system
  1. Consent allows LinkFixer Advanced to access and process content within approved site collections

Important Notes

Admin Consent is a one-time process per machine and tenant, regardless of how many site collections are added.
The administrator’s credentials are not stored or used beyond granting permission.
Admin consent does not provide unrestricted access; all actions are still limited by the permissions of the authenticated user (e.g., Site Collection Administrator access).