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Troubleshooting Common SharePoint Online Issues

Posted on March 4, 2025March 4, 2025 by Rishan Solutions

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SharePoint Online is a powerful collaboration platform, but users may encounter various issues related to permissions, performance, access, synchronization, and workflows. This guide provides step-by-step troubleshooting methods for common SharePoint Online problems.


1. SharePoint Online Access Issues

Problem: Users Cannot Access a SharePoint Site

Possible Causes:

  • Incorrect permissions
  • External sharing restrictions
  • Microsoft 365 service outage

Troubleshooting Steps:
Verify user permissions:

  1. Go to Site Settings → Site Permissions.
  2. Ensure the user is a member of the correct group.

Check external sharing settings:

  1. Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center → SharePoint Admin Center.
  2. Click Policies → Sharing and ensure external sharing is enabled.

Verify Microsoft 365 Service Health:

  • Visit Microsoft 365 Service Status to check for outages.

2. SharePoint Online Performance Issues

Problem: SharePoint Site Loads Slowly

Possible Causes:

  • Large lists/libraries exceeding 5000-item threshold
  • Excessive web parts on pages
  • Poor internet connection

Troubleshooting Steps:
Optimize large lists:

  • Use indexed columns and filtered views to reduce data load.
  • Enable Content Query Web Part for efficient data retrieval.

Reduce web parts on pages:

  • Remove unused web parts, scripts, and widgets.
  • Use modern pages instead of classic pages for better performance.

Check internet speed & browser issues:

  • Use Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.
  • Clear browser cache and disable extensions.

3. SharePoint Document Management Issues

Problem: Users Cannot Upload or Edit Documents

Possible Causes:

  • File size limit exceeded
  • Check-out required before editing
  • Insufficient permissions

Troubleshooting Steps:
Verify file size limits:

  • SharePoint supports files up to 250 GB, but browser uploads may fail for large files.
  • Use OneDrive Sync Client for large uploads.

Check document library settings:

  1. Go to Library Settings → Versioning Settings.
  2. Disable “Require check-out” if users face issues editing files.

Confirm user permissions:

  • Ensure users have “Edit” or “Contribute” permissions in the document library.

4. SharePoint Sync Issues with OneDrive

Problem: OneDrive Fails to Sync SharePoint Files

Possible Causes:

  • Sync app not updated
  • Path length too long (max 400 characters)
  • Corrupted cache

Troubleshooting Steps:
Update OneDrive:

  1. Click OneDrive icon → Help & Settings → Check for updates.

Shorten file path length:

  • Rename files/folders to reduce path length below 400 characters.

Reset OneDrive Sync:

  1. Open OneDrive Settings → Click Unlink this PC.
  2. Re-sign in and resync SharePoint files.

5. SharePoint Online Search Issues

Problem: Files or Sites Do Not Appear in Search Results

Possible Causes:

  • Search index delay
  • Permissions restrict access
  • Metadata not properly configured

Troubleshooting Steps:
Wait for indexing:

  • SharePoint may take 15 minutes to several hours to update search results.

Check search permissions:

  1. Go to Site Settings → Search and offline availability.
  2. Ensure “Allow this site to appear in search results” is enabled.

Use managed metadata for better search:

  • Tag documents with consistent metadata for easier retrieval.

6. SharePoint Workflow & Power Automate Issues

Problem: SharePoint Workflow Fails to Run

Possible Causes:

  • Workflow suspended due to authentication issues
  • Power Automate flow not triggered correctly

Troubleshooting Steps:
Check workflow history:

  1. Go to Workflow Settings → Workflow History List.
  2. Look for error messages related to execution failures.

Verify Power Automate connections:

  1. Open Power Automate → Check Connections.
  2. Reauthenticate services if any connections show errors.

Ensure proper trigger conditions:

  • Check if the workflow is triggering based on correct conditions.

7. SharePoint Permissions Issues

Problem: Users Have Incorrect Permissions

Possible Causes:

  • Inherited permissions overriding direct assignments
  • User added to incorrect group

Troubleshooting Steps:
Check site permissions:

  1. Go to Site Settings → Site Permissions.
  2. Click “Check Permissions” to see user access level.

Break or restore inheritance:

  1. Open Library Settings → Permissions for this document library.
  2. If permissions are broken, reset them to inherit from the parent site.

8. SharePoint External Sharing Issues

Problem: External Users Cannot Access Shared Files

Possible Causes:

  • External sharing disabled at the tenant or site level
  • Incorrect sharing settings

Troubleshooting Steps:
Enable external sharing:

  1. Go to SharePoint Admin Center → Policies → Sharing.
  2. Ensure external sharing is set to “Anyone” or “Existing Guests”.

Resend the sharing link:

  • External users may need Microsoft accounts to access shared files.

Check expiration settings:

  • Ensure file sharing links have not expired.

9. SharePoint Online Storage Issues

Problem: SharePoint Site Storage Full

Possible Causes:

  • SharePoint Online has a storage limit (1 TB + 10 GB per user).
  • Large files or excessive versioning history consuming space.

Troubleshooting Steps:
Check available storage:

  1. Go to SharePoint Admin Center → Sites → Storage Metrics.

Delete old versions:

  1. Go to Library Settings → Versioning Settings.
  2. Reduce the number of stored document versions.

Purchase additional storage:

  • If needed, buy extra storage from the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

10. SharePoint Mobile App Issues

Problem: SharePoint Mobile App Not Working

Possible Causes:

  • Outdated app version
  • Network connectivity issues

Troubleshooting Steps:
Update the app:

  • Ensure you’re using the latest version from the App Store or Google Play.

Clear app cache:

  • Go to Settings → Apps → SharePoint → Clear Cache.

Test on another network:

  • Try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data or vice versa.
Posted Under SharePoint onlineFix SharePoint Problems SharePoint Access Issues SharePoint Document Upload Issues SharePoint External Sharing SharePoint Online Issues SharePoint Online Search Not Working SharePoint Performance SharePoint Permissions SharePoint Sync Errors SharePoint Troubleshooting

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