OneDrive Save button and Folders grayed out on iPhone but other clouds are not

I have sent the below via the OneDrive app Report a Problem facility. I encourage all iOS device users who utilise OneDrive to do the same - feel free to copy and paste. 

“Because of changes made by both Apple and Microsoft it is no longer possible to write to OneDrive via the Save to Files option in iOS. Sharing and selecting the OneDrive app still works but this is not always available e.g. if one wants to move a file from iCloud Drive to OneDrive utilising the Files app. 

I have spoken to Apple and they claim that the changes (first introduced in iOS 14.4.1) were based in security and, as such, they will not reverse the changes. So, it is up to Microsoft to update OneDrive to allow write authentication via the iOS Save to Files function. 

Can this please be done ASAP for the millions of iOS device users that also use OneDrive?

Feel free to contact me for more information.”

Ok, just got off the phone with Apple and this is the situation. The issue is (rather obviously) surrounding permissions. It appears that BOTH Apple and Microsoft made changes in the nitty gritty details (which haven’t been shared with me) regarding how iOS authenticates write permissions to OneDrive. Google, for example, have not made changes and so it still works but there’s every possibility that they may make the same changes if the changes are rooted in security. 

Apple’s stance is that they want their devices to be as secure as possible and, as such, they are currently unwilling to reverse the changes that they made. So, we are reliant on MS to get the feedback and, essentially, make changes in order to play ball with Apple. 

The best thing to do is to take this information and share it with as many people as possible and encourage them to make individual support calls to both companies until one of them gets enough that they are willing to back down. That being said, if it is a security issue and Apple are right, then the onus really is on MS to modify OneDrive authentication to align with the requirements that Apple now set for OneDrive (and all cloud services) to work with iOS devices.

Until then, work around are necessary but everything is possible, if in more roundabout ways, and ‘sharing’ on iOS devices and selecting OneDrive does work.

Go onto your social media and share this information and what needs to be done!

If someone from MS is monitoring this thread, please reach out to me as we need to make this an official support issue with MS.

Just got a call back and, as you may all imagine, the initial response internally was “it’s not us”. I’ve gone through again with the guy I’m dealing with all the reasons why it is their problem and that this is already logged with MS, who are essentially saying it’s not their problem (and I obviously agree), and he is pushing back to get them to get off their lazy butts and actually look into it.

The guy I’m dealing with now is good, seems committed and essentially agrees with me, so he’s fighting for us as much as he can. I’ve told him to call me for anything and if he continues to hit a brick wall of lazy people then I’ll attempt to escalate through him until I get someone with some authority to get some action.

I finally got through to a senior advisor who was able to listen and understand and then replicate the issue (of course). I find it hard to believe that I’m the only person in the world that has contacted them about this but this is, essentially, what he has gone off to check - if it is a ‘known’ issue that is being worked on already or not and, if not, he will put it in the works to be resolved with an upcoming release. 

He will keep me updated and I will pass these updates on to everyone viewing here until we get this resolved. 

Cheers,

Creagh

You're welcome!  I hope that you are able to get in contact with a Senior Advisor/Tech Support who can help you and all of us!  Thanks again!