Fix SharePoint Users Cannot Add News with Contribute Permission
Question details
Users need to allow SharePoint members to create and publish news posts without granting full Edit permissions to the entire site.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A site administrator wants to restrict broad site access (keeping it to Read) while enabling specific users to create and publish news posts.
- Observed behavior
- Users with Read access can see the 'Create News Post' option, but cannot publish. Granting 'Contribute' access to the Site Pages library alone is insufficient for publishing news.
Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions on the SharePoint site to modify security groups, break library inheritance, and create custom permission levels.
Create a Custom Permission Level for the Site Pages Library
Set up a scoped custom permission level that allows page creation and publishing for specific users without granting them full site Edit access.
Because the default 'Contribute' permission level does not include the specific rights required to publish modern site pages, you must create a custom permission level. By applying this new level exclusively to the Site Pages library, users maintain Read-only access to the rest of the site.
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your SharePoint site, select 'Site permissions', and then click 'Advanced permissions settings' at the bottom of the panel.
Click 'Permission Levels' in the ribbon. Click on the 'Edit' permission level, scroll to the bottom, and click 'Copy Permission Level'. Name this new level 'News Publisher' and ensure options like 'Add Items', 'Edit Items', and 'View Items' remain checked.
Go to 'Site contents' and open the 'Site Pages' library. Click the gear icon, select 'Library settings', and then 'More library settings'.
Click 'Permissions for this document library' and select 'Stop Inheriting Permissions' in the ribbon. Select the user or group you want to grant access to, click 'Edit User Permissions', and assign the newly created 'News Publisher' permission level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can a user with Read permissions create news posts in SharePoint?
A user with Read access may see the 'Create News Post' button, but they will be unable to successfully publish the post because publishing functionality requires Edit permissions on the Site Pages library.
Why is the 'Contribute' permission level not enough to publish SharePoint news?
The default 'Contribute' level allows users to add and edit list items and documents. However, publishing modern SharePoint site pages (which news posts are built upon) generally requires elevated rights found in the 'Edit' permission level.
How do I restrict users from editing the whole site while allowing news creation?
You must maintain their Read access at the broader site level. Then, navigate specifically to the Site Pages library, break permission inheritance, and assign them Edit or a customized permission level strictly for that library.
Does breaking permission inheritance on Site Pages affect other document libraries?
No. Breaking inheritance on the Site Pages library only affects that specific library. All other document libraries and lists on your SharePoint site will continue to inherit the default site-level permissions.
