SharePoint is a powerful collaboration platform, allowing your team to store, organize, and share information more efficiently than ever before. But centralizing data also comes with risks. If a threat actor is able to reach your company’s SharePoint, they can access everything. To mitigate this possibility, it is crucial to make use of Microsoft’s built-in security features.
One such solution is user permissions, which can significantly boost your data protection without much effort – but only if you know how to wield them effectively.
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What are SharePoint User Permissions?
Before learning how to change them, it’s important to understand how SharePoint user permissions work.
SharePoint uses a role-based model. This means that permissions are granted to individual users based on their role. This works at several levels:
- Site Level: Grants access to an entire SharePoint site.
- Library/List Level: Controls access to specific document libraries or lists.
- Folder Level: Restricts or allows access to specific folders within a library.
- Item Level: Determines access to individual files or list items.
SharePoint also uses a permission inheritance model, meaning that they are based on the root of the collection. For example, if permission is granted at the site level, it will automatically apply to every level below that. This makes it a bit easier to adjust SharePoint user permissions as necessary.
Within this system, you can customize access even further. You can provide users with full control, grant permission to edit documents, or only allow them to read.
How to Change User Permissions in SharePoint
To change or add user permissions to SharePoint sites, follow these steps:
1. Navigate to the SharePoint Site
- Open your SharePoint site and go to the library, list, or survey where you need to modify permissions.
- Find the settings option. For lists and libraries, this will be under “Permissions and Management”.
2. Check User Permissions in SharePoint Online
- Go to settings, then site permissions.
- Click Check Permissions, enter the user’s name, and view their access level.
3. Modify User Permissions
- Break permission inheritance by selecting “Stop Inheriting Permissions”. This step allows you to manually change permissions.
- Select “Grant User Permissions”.
- Click on “Invite People”, and type their names into the box that pops up.
- Remember to check or uncheck “Share everything in this folder”. Permissions will be set to “edit” by default, so you may also need to change this.
- Click “Share”.
What if I Want to Copy SharePoint Permissions From One User to Another?
The best way to share permissions across multiple users is by creating a group. Click on site permissions, and then “Create”. From there, you can name the group and add users.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Edit User Permissions Greyed Out in SharePoint
If you find the edit user permissions greyed out in SharePoint, it could be due to:
- Insufficient Privileges: Ensure that you have administrator privileges.
- Inherited Permissions: Inheritance prevents you from customizing permissions. Turn this off first, using the steps above.
- Group-Based Permissions: If the user is part of a group, you will need to remove them or edit the group’s permissions.
User Cannot Access a SharePoint Site After Being Granted Permissions
If a user has been added to SharePoint but still cannot access content:
- Double-check that they were added to the correct group.
- Ensure their permissions are not being overridden by other settings.
- Ask them to clear their browser cache or try logging in using a different browser.
Removing User Permissions Doesn’t Work
If you remove a user from a site but they still appear to have access:
- Check if they are still part of a SharePoint Group with access.
- Verify whether permissions were assigned at different levels (site, library, or item).
- Look at any custom permissions that may have been set on specific files or folders.
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Your Ticket to Effortless SharePoint Management
Like many Microsoft tools, SharePoint makes it easy to secure your business without compromising productivity in the process. Effective management of user permissions keeps your data safe while ensuring that the right people still have access. By implementing the advice above, you can maintain a secure and collaborative workspace, making the most of SharePoint’s abilities and keeping the business running smoothly.
The Microsoft consultants at ION247 understand how crucial the right tools are. We use our vast experience to pinpoint the solutions best suited to your business, providing support along the way to handle any problems you may encounter. Find out more about our Microsoft solutions now.
