“You Don’t Have Permission to Perform This Action” – Troubleshooting Guide
The error “You don’t have permission to perform this action” in SharePoint Online or SharePoint On-Premises occurs when a user tries to perform an action that their current permissions do not allow. This issue is typically caused by:
✔ Insufficient user permissions (e.g., trying to edit a document without the correct role).
✔ Broken inheritance of permissions at the document, list, or site level.
✔ Restricted security settings enforced by SharePoint or Microsoft 365 policies.
✔ A delay in permission updates after a change by an administrator.
✔ Sharing restrictions based on organization policies.
This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step approach to troubleshooting and resolving the issue.
Step 1: Sign Out and Sign Back In
Sometimes, your authentication session may not reflect recent permission changes.
How to do it:
- Click on your profile picture (top-right corner) in SharePoint.
- Select Sign Out.
- Close all browser windows.
- Open SharePoint again and log in.
- Try performing the action again.
If the issue persists, move to the next steps.
Step 2: Identify What Action You Are Trying to Perform
Different actions require different permission levels. Here are some common actions and the permissions required:
| Action | Minimum Required Permission |
|---|---|
| View a document | Read |
| Edit a document | Edit or Contribute |
| Delete a document | Delete |
| Create or modify a list/library | Design or Full Control |
| Change site settings | Full Control |
If you are trying to perform an action without the required permissions, you will need admin approval.
Step 3: Check Your Current Permissions
How to Check Your Permissions on a SharePoint Site:
- Go to the SharePoint site where you are facing the issue.
- Click on the gear icon (⚙) in the top-right corner.
- Select Site permissions.
- Click Advanced permissions settings.
- On the Permissions page, click Check Permissions.
- Enter your username/email address and click Check Now.
- The system will display your current permission levels.
If you do not have the necessary permissions, contact your SharePoint administrator to request access.
Step 4: Verify Document/Library Permissions
If the error occurs on a specific document or list, check its permissions.
How to Check Document Permissions:
- Navigate to the document library.
- Right-click the document and select Manage Access.
- Look for your name and check the permission level.
- If you are not listed or have limited permissions, request access.
If the document inherits permissions from the site, the site-level permissions need to be changed.
Step 5: Request Permissions from the Site Owner
If you do not have the necessary permissions, you can request access.
How to Request Access:
- Click the Request Access button (if available).
- Enter a reason for your request.
- Click Send Request.
- Wait for approval from the site owner or administrator.
If the Request Access button is missing, contact the site owner manually.
Step 6: Check for Permission Inheritance Issues
SharePoint allows breaking permission inheritance at different levels (site, list, document).
How to Check if Permissions Are Inherited:
- Go to the document library or list where the error occurs.
- Click the gear icon (⚙) and select Library Settings.
- Under Permissions and Management, click Permissions for this document library.
- If you see “This library has unique permissions”, it means inheritance has been broken.
- To restore permissions:
- Click Inherit Permissions to reset it to the site-level permissions.
If inheritance is intentionally broken, you must request specific access.
Step 7: Try Using a Different Browser or Clear Cache
Sometimes, a browser cache issue can cause incorrect permissions to appear.
How to Clear Browser Cache:
- Open your browser and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
- Select Cookies and Cached Data.
- Click Clear Data.
- Restart your browser and try accessing SharePoint again.
Step 8: Verify Microsoft 365 Group Membership (For SharePoint Online Users)
In SharePoint Online, permissions are often managed through Microsoft 365 groups.
How to Check if You Are in the Correct Group:
- Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center (https://admin.microsoft.com).
- Navigate to Teams & groups → Active Teams & Groups.
- Select the group associated with the SharePoint site.
- Click Members and see if your name is listed.
- If not, request the SharePoint site owner to add you.
Step 9: Check External Sharing Policies (For Guests & External Users)
If you are an external user (guest account), your access may be blocked.
How to Check If External Sharing is Allowed:
- The site administrator should go to SharePoint Admin Center (https://admin.microsoft.com).
- Navigate to Policies → Sharing.
- Ensure that external sharing is allowed.
- If restricted, an admin needs to grant access manually.
Step 10: Verify Security Policies & Compliance Restrictions
Your organization might have Conditional Access Policies that restrict permissions.
How to Check Conditional Access Policies (For IT Admins):
- Open Azure AD Admin Center (https://aad.portal.azure.com).
- Go to Security → Conditional Access.
- Look for policies that may be blocking access based on:
- Location-based restrictions (e.g., VPN required).
- Device compliance policies (e.g., corporate device required).
- Role-based restrictions.
If access is blocked due to a security policy, contact your IT team.
Step 11: Check SharePoint Audit Logs (For Admins Only)
If you are an administrator, you can check the audit logs to see why permissions are denied.
How to Check SharePoint Audit Logs:
- Open the Microsoft Purview compliance portal (https://compliance.microsoft.com).
- Go to Audit → Audit Log Search.
- Set the date range for when the issue occurred.
- Search for “Permission changes” or “Failed access attempts”.
- Review the logs for insights.
Step 12: Contact IT Support or SharePoint Administrator
If none of the above steps resolve the issue, reach out to IT support.
Information to provide IT support:
- Your username/email.
- The exact error message.
- A screenshot of the error.
- The troubleshooting steps you’ve already tried.
- The URL of the SharePoint site/document.