SharePoint permission levels control who can access, edit, or manage content within a SharePoint site. Understanding these levels is crucial for maintaining security, collaboration, and governance in your organization.
In this guide, we will cover:
✔ What SharePoint permission levels are
✔ Default permission levels
✔ How permissions are assigned
✔ Best practices for managing permissions
1. What Are SharePoint Permission Levels?
SharePoint permission levels define what actions a user or group can perform within a site, library, or list.
Permissions are assigned at different levels, including site, document library, list, and item levels.
SharePoint uses a role-based access model, meaning users inherit permissions from their assigned roles.
2. Default SharePoint Permission Levels
SharePoint provides several built-in permission levels that help manage access efficiently.
Full Control
✔ Complete access to all site features
✔ Can manage permissions and settings
✔ Ideal for site owners and administrators
Design
✔ Can create, edit, and delete lists, libraries, and pages
✔ Cannot manage site settings
✔ Suitable for site designers and content managers
Edit
✔ Can add, edit, and delete lists and libraries
✔ Cannot manage site settings
✔ Ideal for content editors and team members
Contribute
✔ Can add, edit, and delete items in lists and libraries
✔ Cannot delete entire lists or libraries
✔ Suitable for team members working with documents
Read
✔ Can view site content, lists, and libraries
✔ Cannot edit or delete anything
✔ Ideal for view-only users, such as executives or auditors
View Only
✔ Can view documents and lists
✔ Cannot download or edit documents
✔ Useful for external users or guests
Limited Access
✔ Allows users to access specific documents or items
✔ Users inherit permissions from shared items
✔ Used when granting access to specific files without full site access
3. How Permissions Are Assigned in SharePoint
Assigning Permissions Through SharePoint Groups
🔸 SharePoint groups bundle users with similar roles, making permission management easier.
🔸 Default SharePoint groups include:
✔ Owners – Full Control
✔ Members – Edit/Contribute
✔ Visitors – Read
Best Practice: Assign permissions to groups instead of individual users for better security and scalability.
Breaking Permission Inheritance
🔹 By default, permissions are inherited from the parent site to subsites, libraries, and lists.
🔹 However, you can break inheritance to set unique permissions for:
✔ A specific document library or list
✔ A single document or item
Caution: Breaking inheritance can make permissions harder to track and manage.
4. Managing SharePoint Permissions
Checking User Permissions
✔ Go to Site Settings > Site Permissions
✔ Click on Check Permissions
✔ Enter a user’s name to see their assigned access
Granting and Revoking Permissions
To Grant Permissions:
✔ Go to Site Settings > Site Permissions
✔ Click “Grant Permissions”
✔ Add users or groups and choose the appropriate permission level
To Remove Permissions:
✔ Select the user or group
✔ Click Remove User Permissions
5. Best Practices for SharePoint Permissions
✔ Use SharePoint Groups instead of individual user permissions for easier management.
✔ Follow the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) – Grant only the necessary permissions to minimize risks.
✔ Avoid Breaking Permission Inheritance unless absolutely necessary to maintain consistency.
✔ Regularly Audit Permissions to ensure proper access control and prevent security risks.
✔ Use SharePoint Security Policies to enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and access reviews.
6. Conclusion
SharePoint permission levels help manage access control and security across sites, libraries, and lists.
Use default SharePoint groups for easier administration and avoid breaking permission inheritance when possible.
Regularly review and update permissions to ensure only the right users have access.
By following best practices, organizations can securely manage their SharePoint environment while enabling effective collaboration.