Summary
This article provides instructions for how the Owner of a SharePoint site can access the permissions page, break and restore inherited permissions, assign, edit, and remove unique permissions.
Content
When you create a SharePoint site, an Office 365 Group is assigned. A SharePoint site is a securable object that has assigned permissions. Information on a SharePoint site is contained in a subsite, list, library, folder, or file. These are all securable objects.
The members of the group all have the same level of access to the contents of the site including files and folders. Members of the group have direct access to view and/or edit the contents of the site. A group member can also give access to other people (non-members) inside and outside the tenant by sharing files or folders with them.
Owners of a SharePoint site can change permissions to allow/restrict access to information.
To ensure information is secure, it is important to understand the SharePoint Permission Inheritance Hierarchy. Prior to making changes to any secureable object using the procedures provided in this article, review the information in SharePoint: Understanding the Permission Inheritance Hierarchy.
When a SharePoint site member shares a document with a non-member, inheritance is automatically broken for that document. Inherited permissions are copied from the site (or parent object like a folder) to the shared the document, and additional permissions for the non-member are added to the document's permissions making it unique. If later changes in permissions are made to the parent item (site or folder), those changes are not applied to the item shared with the non-member.
To assign unique permissions to a document library, folder, file, etc., you must first break permissions inheritance, then assign unique permissions. This can all be done on the permissions tab. Reminder: As noted above, this break and re-assignment of unique permissions happens automatically when a member of the group shares a file or folder with a non-member. For more information about sharing information with non-members, refer to SharePoint: Using the Manage Access Option to Manage File/Folder Permissions.
When accessing the permissions tab you may see one or more messages posted. For more information, refer to the Permissions Tab Message Explanation table.
How-To
Break inherited permissions for a document library
When you break permissions inheritance for a document library and then define new permission settings, the library becomes a parent for folders and files it contains. Folders and files contained in that document library inherit the new permission settings unless you break the permissions of those folders and define new permissions for them as well.
Instructions
Step 1 - Open a browser, navigate to Portal.Office.Com and log in.
Step 2 - On the Home page, click the Waffle icon > SharePoint.
Step 3 - Select your SharePoint site from the list available.
Step 4 - Select the Gear icon to open the Setting menu and select Site contents.
Step 5 - When the site Content page opens, click the Show actions icon (three vertical dots) next to a Document Library and select Settings from the menu.
Step 6 - On the Settings page, click Permissions for this document library.
Step 7 - Click Stop Inheriting Permissions.
Outcome
The permissions from the SharePoint site are copied to the document library and then all permission sharing between the site and document library stops. Any changes to the permissions of SharePoint site going forward will not be passed on to this document library. Any new permissions added to the documentation library will not be shared with the SharePoint site.
Break inherited permissions for a folder
When you break permissions inheritance for a folder within document library and then define new permission settings, the folder becomes a parent for files it contains. Files contained in that folder inherit the new permission settings unless you break the permissions of those files and define new permissions for them as well.
Instructions
Step 1 - Open a browser, navigate to Portal.Office.Com and log in.
Step 2 - On the Home page, click the Waffle icon > SharePoint.
Step 3 - Select your SharePoint site from the list available.
Step 4 - Select the Gear icon to open the Setting menu and select Site contents.
Step 5 - When the site Content page opens, click on a Document Library to open it.
Step 6 - When the Document Library opens, click the Show actions icon (three vertical dots) next to a Folder and select Manage access from the menu.
Step 7 - On the Manage Access panel, click Advanced.
Step 8 - Click Stop Inheriting Permissions.
Outcome
The permissions from the document library are copied to the folder and then all permission sharing between the document library and folder stops. Any changes to the permissions of document library going forward will not be passed on to this folder. Any new permissions added to the folder will not be shared with the document library.
Break inherited permissions for a file
You can break permissions inheritance for a file within a folder and then define new permission settings.
Instructions
Step 1 - Open a browser, navigate to Portal.Office.Com and log in.
Step 2 - On the Home page, click the Waffle icon > SharePoint.
Step 3 - Select your SharePoint site from the list available.
Step 4 - Select the Gear icon to open the Setting menu and select Site contents.
Step 5 - When the site Content page opens, click on a Document Library to open it.
Step 6 - When the Document Library opens, click on a Folder to open it.
Step 7 - When the Folder opens, click the Show actions icon (three vertical dots) next to a File and select Manage access from the menu.
Step 8 - On the Manage Access panel, click Advanced.
Step 9 - Click Stop Inheriting Permissions.
Outcome
The permissions from the folder are copied to the file and then all permission sharing between the folder and the file stops. Any changes to the permissions of folder going forward will not be passed on to this file. Any new permissions added to the file will not be shared with the folder.
Assign unique permissions
You must break the permissions inherited from a parent item (site or folder) before you can assign unique permissions to the child item (folder or file).
To break inherited permissions:
Instructions
Step 1 - Use the instructions in one of the breaking inherited permissions procedures (above) to navigate to the items Permissions tab.
Step 2 - On the Permissions tab, click Grant Permissions. Note: If the item is inheriting permissions from the parent, the Grant Permissions button doesn't display.
Step 3 - When the Share form displays, select Invite people from the navigation menu.
Step 4 - Enter the names of the people or groups that you want to invite in the Enter names or email addresses... field.
Step 5 - (Optional) Add a personal message.
Step 6 - Click SHOW OPTIONS.
Step 7 - Check/uncheck the Send an email invitation option to send/not send an email to everyone listed in the Invite people field.
Step 8 - Choose a Permissions Level from the Select a permission level menu.
| Permission Level Menu |
Permission Level Explained |
|
|
Full Control - Has full control. |
| Design - Can view, add, update, delete, approve, and customize. |
| Edit - Can add, edit and delete lists; can view, add, update and delete list items and documents. |
| Contribute - Can view, add, update, and delete list items and documents. |
| Read - Can view pages and list items, and downloads documents. |
| Restricted View - Can view pages, list items, and documents. Documents can be viewed in the browser but not downloaded. |
Step 9 - Check/uncheck the Share everything in this folder, even items with unique permissions option to grant/restrict access to items with unique permissions. Note: This option is only displayed for folders or libraries.
Step 10 - Click Share.
Outcome
The permissions list includes those that were copied for the parent item and the new entry that you created based on your selections.
Delete unique permissions and restore inherited permissions
You can remove any unique permissions from items that you have customized (library, folder, file, etc.) and restore the inherited permissions of its parent.
Instructions
Step 1 - Use the instructions in one of the breaking inherited permissions procedures (above) to navigate to the items Permissions tab.
Step 2 - On the Permissions tab, click Delete unique permissions.
Step 3 - When the confirmation pop-up displays, click OK.
Outcome
The unique permissions are removed and this items permissions are restored to that of its parent.
Change permission levels for a person or group
You must break the permissions inherited from a parent item (site or folder) before you can assign and edit unique permissions to the child item (folder or file). To break inherited permissions, see the content above.
Instructions
Step 1 - Use the instructions in one of the breaking inherited permissions procedures (above) to navigate to the items Permissions tab.
Step 2 - On the Permissions tab, select the checkbox next to the name of the person or group that you are editing permissions for.
Step 3 - Click Edit User Permissions.
Step 4 - Under Permissions, check the box for the permission level you want for the person or group you selected.
Step 5 - Click OK.
Outcome
The permissions of the person or group are changed based on your selections.
Remove all permissions from a person or group
You must break the permissions inherited from a parent item (site or folder) before you can assign and edit unique permissions to the child item (folder or file). To break inherited permissions, see the content above.
Instructions
Step 1 - Use the instructions in one of the breaking inherited permissions procedures (above) to navigate to the items Permissions tab.
Step 2 - On the Permissions tab, select the checkbox next to the name of the person or group that you are removing permissions for.
Step 3 - Click Remove User Permissions.
Step 4 - When the confirmation pop-up displays, click OK.
Outcome
The permissions of the person or group are removed. This person or group can no longer access this item.
Understand the messages displayed on the permissions tab
Messages Displayed on the Permissions Tab
| Message |
Explanation |
| Some items of this list may have unique permissions which are not controlled from this page. Show these items. |
This means that, at some time in the past, an individual item within the list, library, or survey was shared with others.
Click Show these items, to display an Exceptions dialog box showing which items they are.
If you are an owner of the item, click Manage permissions for each one to make changes.
|
| There are limited access users on this site. Users may have limited access if an item or document under the site has been shared with them. Show users. |
This means that if an item has been shared with a user, but the entire list, library, or survey has not, then their access is limited to the one item that has been shared with them.
Click Show users to see who they are.
When you share an item with a user, they are given limited access to the site in order to give them access to the item. If you stop sharing the item, the user continues to have limited access to the site (and you see this message), however, they don't have access to any items not shared with them.
|
| This <item> inherits permissions from its parent <name of parent>.a |
This means that inheritance has not yet been broken for the item. |
Further Readings
SharePoint: Understanding the Permission Inheritance Hierarchy
SharePoint: Using the Manage Access Option to Manage File/Folder Permissions
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:
Learn more about the great tools our Microsoft 365 Learning sites offer!
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