SharePoint Document Issues

Fix SharePoint List Items Disappearing After Saving

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users are experiencing an issue where newly created SharePoint Online list items disappear shortly after saving, accompanied by an error message.

Product: SharePoint Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating and saving new items in a SharePoint Online list.
Observed behavior: The new list item appears briefly after saving, then disappears about a minute later and is not found in the Recycle Bin. A red warning icon displays the message 'Could not create this item. Please try again later.'

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary List Owner or Administrator permissions to access and modify the advanced list settings in SharePoint Online.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify and Update Item-Level Permissions

Adjusting item-level permissions ensures users have the correct access rights to both read and create/edit items, which resolves database commit failures.

If a SharePoint list has restrictive item-level permissions, it can prevent items created by users from successfully writing to the database, causing them to visually revert and disappear from the interface.

Open List Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint list, click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner, and select 'List Settings'.

Access Advanced Settings

Under the General Settings column on the configuration page, click on 'Advanced settings'.

Modify Item-Level Permissions

Locate the 'Item-level Permissions' section. Set 'Read access' to 'Read all items' and 'Create and Edit access' to 'Create and edit all items', assuming this fits your organization's security policies.

Save Changes

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'OK' to apply the new permission settings, then attempt to create a new list item.

Permission Update Complete: After saving, allow a few moments for the new permissions to propagate across the SharePoint environment before testing.

Solution 2

Test Using an InPrivate or Incognito Window

Using a private browsing window helps rule out corrupted local cache and cookies that might interfere with SharePoint operations.

Solution 3

Open a Support Request with Microsoft 365

If permissions are correct and the issue persists, backend diagnostics from the Microsoft development team are required.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the 'Could not create this item' error appear in SharePoint?

This error typically occurs when there is a conflict in item-level permissions, a temporary desynchronization between the browser and SharePoint servers, or corrupted local browser cache preventing the item from committing to the database.

Can I recover the disappeared list item from the SharePoint Recycle Bin?

No. Because the item failed to save properly to the SharePoint database, it was never permanently created. As a result, it does not exist in the site's Recycle Bin and must be recreated.

What are HAR logs and why might Microsoft Support need them?

HAR (HTTP Archive) logs record the web browser's interaction with the SharePoint server. Support teams use these logs to track exactly where network requests fail during the saving process, helping them pinpoint the root cause of the error.

Document & File Issues