Windows 7: Link your online ID and share files in Homegroup

Microsoft recently released Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant 6.5 Beta for Windows 7 which allows you to link your Windows User Accounts with your Windows Live ID. This may sound something similar to .NET Passport account in Windows XP, but it looks like it is totally different and it is way more useful than just linking your online account

Microsoft cites the following as an example of how you can make use of this feature

On his homegroup, Bob wants to share certain documents with his wife but not with his kids. Simply by specifying his wife's Windows Live ID user name, Bob can give his wife exclusive permission to access documents on his computer

This is indeed an useful addition to lots other Windows 7 features and it makes file sharing easier along with the new homegroup feature

So, how do I use it?

Before getting into a 'how-to' lets be clear that this tiny little feature is still under development and you might not be able to experience it fully

Linking your Windows User Account with your Live ID

Open Control Panel and navigate to User Accounts and Family Safety

Click on User Accounts

Now click on Link online IDs in the left pane

As the Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant 6.5 Beta is already installed, you should get an option to link your Live ID now

Add your Live ID

After successful sign on, you should see your Live ID linked with your user account

To share a file with someone else in the homegroup who has already linked their user accounts with an Online ID Provider, such as Windows Live ID - right click on that file and choose share with specific people

This will open the file sharing wizard

As you can see in the above screenshot, it shows all other online IDs linked (including the one we just added) in the homegroup. You can add them and give appropriate permissions. Its that simple!

Whats wrong with this feature currently?

This new feature looks like its still under development. I tried to share files by giving exclusive permissions to my other linked IDs in my homegroup, but I was not able to see the shared file(s) or even get a prompt that a file has been shared by another user. So, don't expect it to work, but its good to see that the work is in progress and we might see it working in the upcoming Windows 7 RC release

Microsoft has not yet published a 'how-to' for this feature. If you do find a way of using it, please do leave your comments here

Whats good about this feature?

This new feature not only allows Windows Live ID, but also several other online ID providers, but for now its only Windows Live ID. Additional online identity providers might be listed when Windows 7 is commercially released.

Contact widprov@microsoft.com to learn how to become an online identity provider

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