Fix SharePoint Users Cannot Create Folder Alerts With Edit Permission
Question details
Users are unable to create 'Alert Me' notifications on a SharePoint folder despite having Edit or Full Control permissions for that specific folder.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user attempts to set up an alert for a specific folder where they have Edit access, but inheritance from the parent site or library has been broken to restrict broader access.
- Observed behavior
- The system throws a 'Sorry, you don't have access' permission error when saving the alert, preventing the notification setup.
Ensure you have Site Administrator privileges before attempting to modify library or site-level permission inheritance settings.
Verify Folder Permissions and Library Settings
Use SharePoint's advanced access management to check effective permissions and compare them with a working site.
Select the affected folder in your SharePoint document library and click the three-dot (ellipsis) menu.
Choose 'Manage access' from the dropdown menu, then click 'Advanced' to open the classic permission management page.
Select 'Check Permissions' in the ribbon, enter the affected user's name, and click 'Check Now'.
Review the effective permissions and compare the library settings, such as permission inheritance and custom permission levels, with a SharePoint site where alerts function correctly.
Contact SharePoint Administrator for Site-Level Settings
If folder-level permissions are correct, site-level restrictions may be blocking alert creation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why can users edit files in a SharePoint folder but not set up alerts?
The 'Alert Me' feature in SharePoint often requires specific permissions inherited from the parent document library or site. If permission inheritance is broken to restrict access to other folders, the user loses the underlying site-level permissions needed to create alerts.
Does granting Full Control on a specific folder fix the alert error?
No. Even if a user has Full Control over a specific folder, they will still encounter a permission error if the parent site or library lacks the necessary alert-creation permissions for that user.
How do I check if a SharePoint user has the right permissions?
Navigate to the folder, click the three-dot menu, select Manage access, and choose Advanced. From there, click Check Permissions, type the user's name, and review their effective access levels.
Should I give users site-level access to fix the alert issue?
It is not recommended if the users are meant to be restricted from viewing other folders on the site. Broadening their access will expose sensitive files. Instead, consult your SharePoint admin to adjust specific alert settings.
