Permission & Access Issues

Fix SharePoint Group Access Denied Error on a Site

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

A newly created SharePoint group with Read permissions at the site level and Contribute permissions on select libraries is encountering an Access Denied error when attempting to open the site. Library access is intermittent and the group disappears from permissions.

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A user attempts to access a SharePoint site or specific document libraries using a newly created permission group.
Observed behavior: The user receives an Access Denied message on the site, images may appear broken, and the group sometimes vanishes from library permission lists.

Before you start

Verify you have Site Owner or Full Control administrative permissions on the affected SharePoint site before attempting to modify inheritance settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Restore Permission Inheritance on Site Pages and Assets

Removing unique permissions and restoring inheritance on the home page, Site Pages, and Site Assets libraries usually resolves site-level access denied errors.

Often, simply sharing the home page creates unique, isolated permissions for that page and the Site Pages library, which overrides the site-level group access. By deleting these unique permissions, you force the libraries to inherit the correct site-level settings.

Navigate to Site Contents

Open your SharePoint site, click on the Settings gear icon in the top right corner, and select Site contents.

Access Site Pages Settings

Locate the Site Pages library, click the three dots (ellipsis) next to it, and choose Settings.

Delete Unique Permissions

Click on 'Permissions for this document library'. If a notification states the library has unique permissions, click 'Delete unique permissions' in the ribbon to inherit from the parent site.

Fix Site Assets

Repeat this exact process for the Site Assets library to restore inheritance, which will also resolve any broken images on the site.

Inheritance Restored: Once inheritance is active, the Read and Contribute permissions will propagate properly, granting the group access to the site and its assets.

Solution 2

Verify User Permissions via Diagnostics

Use SharePoint's built-in Check Permissions tool to verify exactly what access levels the affected user or group holds.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a SharePoint page show Access Denied even when users have site permissions?

If a specific page (like the Home page) or the Site Pages library was shared individually with other users, it breaks permission inheritance. As a result, the page enforces unique permissions, and users will be denied access to it despite having site-wide Read permissions.

How do I fix broken images on my SharePoint site for a specific group?

Broken images usually happen when the Site Assets library has unique permissions applied to it, restricting group access to media files. Restoring inheritance for the Site Assets library allows the group to load and view the images properly.

What should I do if a SharePoint group randomly disappears from library permissions?

If a group behaves inconsistently or drops from library permissions intermittently, the group might be corrupted or experiencing a synchronization issue. First, verify the inheritance settings using Check Permissions. If the issue persists, the most effective fix is to delete and recreate the SharePoint group entirely.

Document & File Issues