Permission & Access Issues

Fix SharePoint User Can Only See Their Own List Items

Khadija Khan Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

A user with Edit access in a SharePoint permission group is restricted to viewing only the list items they have personally created.

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A user attempts to view and manage team records within a custom SharePoint list but finds they cannot see entries made by other team members.
Observed behavior: Despite being in a custom Edit permission group, the user can only see list items they created. Changing direct permissions or group memberships does not fix the visibility restriction.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions on the affected SharePoint site to access the Advanced Settings and modify site collection permissions.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust Item-Level Permissions to Read All Items

Change the advanced list settings to ensure all users with read or edit access can view all items in the list, rather than just their own.

In SharePoint, list-level advanced settings can override general group permissions. If Item-level Permissions are restricted, even users with edit rights will be limited to their own creations.

Navigate to List Settings

Open the affected SharePoint list, click the gear icon in the top right corner of the page, and select 'List settings' from the drop-down menu.

Open Advanced Settings

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

Modify Item-Level Permissions

Locate the 'Item-level Permissions' section. Under 'Read access', change the selection from 'Read items that were created by the user' to 'Read all items'.

Save the Changes

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the 'OK' button to apply the new item-level permission settings.

Adjust Item-Level Permissions to Read All Items

Verify Changes: Ask the affected user to refresh the SharePoint page to confirm they can now see all list items created by other users.

Solution 2

Remove and Re-add the User in the Site Collection

If adjusting the list settings does not work and the issue only affects a single user, refreshing their profile in the site collection can resolve lingering permission glitches.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a SharePoint user with Edit permissions only see their own items?

This happens when the 'Item-level Permissions' in the list's Advanced Settings are restricted to 'Read items that were created by the user.' This setting applies list-wide, overriding the user's group Edit permissions.

Does changing item-level permissions in SharePoint affect all users?

Yes, updating the Read access to 'Read all items' in the Advanced Settings applies to everyone who has read access to that specific SharePoint list, allowing all members to see the complete list.

How can I remove a user completely from a SharePoint site collection?

Navigate to Site settings > Site permissions > Advanced permissions settings. Select the specific user from the list, click 'Remove User Permissions' from the ribbon, and confirm your choice.

Document & File Issues