Summary
When a SharePoint page is being edited, it is checked out to the user making changes. While the page is checked out, other site owners and editors may be unable to edit, save, or publish the page. This article explains how site owners can identify a page that is locked for editing and how to check it in or discard changes from the Site Pages library when necessary.
How-To
Task: Identify a page locked for editing.
If you receive a message that another user is editing a page, or you are unable to publish changes, first verify whether the page is checked out.
Instructions
Step 1 - Navigate to the SharePoint site.
Step 2 - Select Settings (⚙) → Site Contents.
Step 3 - Open the Site Pages library.
Step 4 - Locate the page that cannot be edited or published.
Step 5 - Review the page status.
- A checked-out icon or the Checked Out To column may indicate that the page is currently locked by another user.
Outcome
You have determined whether the page is checked out and locking other users from editing.
Task: Check in a page on behalf of another user.
Site owners can check in a page that was left checked out by another user, including a user who has left the organization.
Instructions
Step 1 - Navigate to Settings (⚙) → Site Contents.
Step 2 - Open the Site Pages library.
Step 3 - Select the page that is checked out.
Step 4 - Select More (...) → Check In.
Step 5 - Enter optional version comments.
Step 6 - Select Check In.
Step 7 - Open the page and select Publish or Republish if necessary. A check-in saves the page as a version, while publishing makes the page visible to site visitors.
Important:
- Checking in a page preserves the current draft changes and does not affect documents stored elsewhere in the site.
- Only users with appropriate permissions, such as Site Owners, can perform this action.
Outcome
You have successfully checked in the page and released the editing lock.
Task: Discard a checked-out page.
If the checked-out changes are no longer needed, a Site Owner can discard the checkout and return the page to its last published version.
Instructions
Step 1 - Navigate to Settings (⚙) → Site Contents.
Step 2 - Open the Site Pages library.
Step 3 - Select the checked-out page.
Step 4 - Select More (...) → Discard Check Out (or Discard Changes, depending on your SharePoint experience).
Step 5 - Confirm the action.
Important:
- Discarding a checkout permanently removes unpublished page edits.
- The action affects only unpublished changes to the page itself and does not delete site files, folders, or documents.
- Consider reviewing the current page and taking screenshots before discarding changes if you are unsure what modifications were made.
Outcome
You have successfully removed the checkout and unlocked the page for editing.
Further Readings
Management and lifecycle of a SharePoint modern page:
Need additional help?
For assistance concerning site creation, content sharing, file synchronization, or other common SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, or Office app activities, we recommend our Microsoft 365 Learning sites:
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