SharePoint Document Issues

Fix SharePoint Approve or Reject Button Missing Issue

Bushra Parveen Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users are unable to approve or reject files because the default Approve/Reject button is missing and has been replaced by a Submit for Approval option.

How to Fix the Missing Approve or Reject Button in SharePoint Online

Product: SharePoint Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing file and folder approvals in a SharePoint document library with designated approvers.
Observed behavior: The Approve/Reject option has unexpectedly disappeared for certain users and is replaced by Submit for Approval, disrupting the document approval workflow.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Administrator permissions in SharePoint, as checking and modifying content approval settings or permission levels requires elevated access.

Solution 1Recommended

Review Document Library Versioning and Approval Settings

Ensure the SharePoint library is properly configured to require content approval, which natively enables the Approve/Reject functionality.

SharePoint relies on specific versioning settings to determine if content approval is required. If these settings are accidentally changed, the approval buttons will be hidden from the interface.

Open Library Settings

Navigate to the affected SharePoint document library, click the gear icon in the top right corner, and select 'Library settings'.

Access Versioning Settings

Click on 'More library settings', then find and select 'Versioning settings'.

Enable Content Approval

Under the Content Approval section, verify that 'Require content approval for submitted items?' is set to 'Yes'.

Check Draft Security

Under Draft Item Security, ensure that 'Only users who can approve items (and the author of the item)' is selected so the designated approvers have the correct visibility.

Review Document Library Versioning and Approval Settings

Settings Applied: Once saved, refresh the library page. The Approve/Reject option should reappear for users with the correct approval rights.

Solution 2

Verify User Permissions and Admin Settings

Users need specific permission levels to see the Approve/Reject option. Custom workflows can also override default buttons.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Approve/Reject button change to Submit for Approval?

This usually happens when your account permissions change from 'Approve Items' to standard edit or contribute access, or if a custom Power Automate workflow has replaced the default SharePoint UI.

Do I need admin rights to fix the missing approval button in SharePoint?

Yes, checking and modifying library versioning settings or user permission levels requires you to have Site Owner or SharePoint Administrator privileges.

Can item-level permissions hide the approval options?

Yes. If an individual file or folder has unique permissions that differ from the library's main settings, designated approvers might lose their ability to approve or reject that specific item.

Document & File Issues