Invite others to collaborate in Numbers on iPhone
You can invite others to work with you on a spreadsheet in real time by sending them a link to it. Everyone working on the spreadsheet can see changes as they’re made.
By default, only the people you invite to collaborate on the spreadsheet can access and make changes to it. You can also change permissions to allow:
Anyone who has the link to access the spreadsheet
View-only permission, so others can’t make changes
Invite people to collaborate
To invite others to collaborate on a spreadsheet, you must first store the spreadsheet in iCloud. Make sure that you’re signed in with your Apple ID and that Numbers is set up to use iCloud Drive.
Do one of the following:
If the spreadsheet is open: Tap in the toolbar. If you don’t see the button, tap at the top of the screen, then tap .
If the spreadsheet is closed: In the spreadsheet manager or Files app, open the Numbers folder in iCloud Drive, tap in the top-right corner, then tap Select. Tap the spreadsheet (a checkmark appears), then tap at the bottom of the screen.
If the spreadsheet isn’t stored in iCloud Drive, follow the prompt to move it there.
Below Who Can Access, tap an option:
People you invite: Only people you invite who sign in with an Apple ID can open the spreadsheet. People don’t need to have an Apple ID before you invite them; however, they need to create one before they can open your shared spreadsheet.
Anyone with the link: Anyone who has the link to the shared spreadsheet can tap or click the link to open the spreadsheet. To protect it with a password, tap Add Password.
If this spreadsheet already has a password, it applies to the shared spreadsheet as well, so you don’t need to enter a new one. If you want to change it, tap Change Password.
Below Permission, tap an option to set what others can do:
Can make changes: People can edit and print the shared spreadsheet.
View only: People can view and print the shared spreadsheet but not edit it.
If you set access to “People you invite” (in the previous step), you can change a shared spreadsheet’s settings after you share it.
If you have iPadOS 15 or later installed, and you don’t want all participants to be able to invite others, turn off “Anyone can add more people.”
Tap Add People.
Tap a method for sending the link.
AirDrop: Use AirDrop when your recipient’s on the same network and able to accept the spreadsheet. Select the person you want to send the spreadsheet to. The recipient must accept the file to receive it.
Mail or Messages: Mail and Messages both send a copy directly to one or more email addresses or phone numbers and can be accompanied with a custom note. Type an email address or phone number for each participant. If you invite someone using an email address or phone number that isn’t associated with their Apple ID, they won’t be able to accept the invitation until they add the email address or phone number to their Apple ID. When they tap or click the link in the invitation, instructions appear. The link appears in the body of the message along with the spreadsheet title.
Important: Make sure not to edit or delete the link in your message.
Copy Link: Copy the spreadsheet’s link so you can easily send, post, or access it. You can send the link using any internet service that’s already set up on your device. Tap where you want to paste the link, then tap Paste.
Important: The link to the spreadsheet that’s created when you tap Share includes the spreadsheet’s title. If the title or content of the spreadsheet is confidential, be sure to ask recipients not to forward the link to anyone else.
When you send the invitation, a checkmark appears on the Collaborate button to indicate you’ve shared the spreadsheet.
Invite more people
Depending on how you set spreadsheet access, you can invite more people to collaborate on your file by adding them or by sending a link.
Tip: If the spreadsheet is protected by a password, for security reasons don’t send the password with the link.
Do one of the following:
If the spreadsheet is open: Tap in the toolbar, then tap Manage Shared Spreadsheet.
If the spreadsheet is closed: In the spreadsheet manager or Files app, open the Numbers folder in iCloud Drive, tap in the top-right corner, tap Select, tap the spreadsheet (a checkmark appears), then tap at the bottom of the screen.
Do one of the following:
Invite more people to collaborate: Use this method if you’re the owner of a shared spreadsheet with access set to “People you invite,” or if the spreadsheet owner gave you permission to add more people. Tap Add People, tap a method to invite your new participant, then tap Share. See Invite people to collaborate for more details.
Send the link to more people: Use this method if spreadsheet access is set to “Anyone with the link.” Tap Copy Link, tap where you want to paste the link, then tap Paste.
Note: The link may appear in the body of the message as a stylized graphic with the spreadsheet title—be sure not to edit or delete it.
Any participant can copy a link to a spreadsheet and paste it somewhere else—for example, to save the link where they can easily access it. If the owner limited access to people they invite, the link only works for invited participants.
You can change the sharing settings for the new people after you send the link.
For details on setting permission and sending the link, see Invite people to collaborate.