Fix SharePoint Access Denied for a Full Control User
Question details
A user with Full Control permissions encounters an Access Denied error when accessing site permissions or opening the site in SharePoint Designer.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to manage site permissions or connect to a SharePoint team site using Microsoft SharePoint Designer.
- Observed behavior
- The site permissions page displays an Access Denied message, and SharePoint Designer incorrectly reports that the site is not supported even with custom scripting enabled.
Verify whether this issue affects all SharePoint sites or is isolated to a single site, and check if other users with Full Control permissions are experiencing the same error.
Repair Microsoft SharePoint Designer
Use this solution to fix errors where SharePoint Designer incorrectly states that a valid SharePoint site is not supported.
If custom scripting is already enabled on the server but SharePoint Designer continues to block access, the local software installation may be corrupted.
Press the Windows key, type 'Control Panel', and press Enter. Navigate to 'Programs' and select 'Programs and Features'.
Scroll through the list of installed applications to find 'Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2013'.
Right-click on 'Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2013' and select 'Change' from the context menu.
Choose the 'Repair' option and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation repair. Restart your computer once finished.
Review Site Scope and Escalate to Administrator
Use this method to determine if the Access Denied issue is a tenant-level bug requiring Microsoft 365 Support intervention.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I getting an Access Denied error in SharePoint if I have Full Control?
This can happen due to conflicting cached credentials, a corrupted user profile, custom scripts being blocked at the tenant level, or specific sub-site permission inheritances that override your top-level permissions.
Why does SharePoint Designer say my site is not supported?
SharePoint Designer may report a site as unsupported if the 'DenyAddAndCustomizePages' setting (custom scripting) is enabled on the SharePoint Admin Center, or if the local SharePoint Designer installation needs to be repaired.
Can network issues cause SharePoint permission errors?
While less common for static permission errors, network configurations, proxies, or strict firewall rules can sometimes interfere with the authentication tokens required by SharePoint Designer, causing it to fail to recognize your permissions.
