Permission & Access Issues

How to Automatically Lock a SharePoint Folder After a Deadline

Huma Ashraf Ch Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know how to automatically restrict edit access to a SharePoint folder at a specified date and time.

How to Automatically Lock a SharePoint Folder After a Deadline

Product: SharePoint Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Collecting documents or submissions in a SharePoint folder that must be locked or made read-only exactly when a firm deadline passes.
Observed behavior: SharePoint Online does not natively support an automatic date-based folder locking feature out of the box, requiring either manual permission changes or automation via Power Automate.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner permissions for the SharePoint site and an active Power Automate license to create and run scheduled cloud flows.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Scheduled Power Automate Flow (Recommended)

Use Power Automate to build a scheduled flow that automatically revokes edit access and grants read-only access to users when the deadline hits.

Since SharePoint does not have a native timer for folder permissions, Power Automate is the most efficient way to handle this automatically without requiring you to be online at the exact deadline.

Create a Scheduled Flow

Log in to Power Automate (make.powerautomate.com). Click on 'Create' from the left menu and select 'Scheduled cloud flow'.

Set the Deadline Timer

Give your flow a clear name (e.g., 'Lock Submission Folder'). Set the starting date and time to match your exact deadline, and set the recurrence to run only once, then click 'Create'.

Remove Existing Permissions

Click 'New step' and search for the SharePoint action 'Stop sharing an item or a file'. Select your Site Address, enter the Library Name, and input the unique ID of the target folder. This removes current custom permissions.

Grant Read-Only Access

Add another step and search for 'Grant access to an item or a folder'. Select the same Site, Library, and Folder ID. In the Recipients field, add the required SharePoint group or users. Under the Roles dropdown, select 'Can view' (read-only).

Save and Test

Save your flow. It is highly recommended to run a manual test on a dummy folder to verify the flow executes properly and correctly assigns the read-only status.

Create a Scheduled Power Automate Flow (Recommended)

Preserving Owner Access: When configuring the 'Stop sharing' and 'Grant access' steps, ensure you do not inadvertently lock out Site Owners. Test on a nonproduction folder first to confirm owners retain full control.

Solution 2

Change Folder Permissions Manually

If you prefer not to build an automated flow, you can manually adjust the folder access settings immediately after your deadline passes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I automatically lock individual files instead of an entire folder?

Yes. You can use the exact same Power Automate logic (Stop sharing an item / Grant access) or the manual 'Manage access' steps on an individual file level by selecting the specific file's ID instead of the folder's ID.

Will Site Owners lose access if I remove permissions using Power Automate?

By default, stopping sharing might remove standard contributor permissions, but Site Owners generally retain control. However, it is crucial to explicitly test your Power Automate flow on a dummy folder to confirm that your specific site configuration preserves owner access.

Can I automatically unlock the folder at a later date?

Yes. You can create a second scheduled Power Automate cloud flow configured for your 'unlock' date. In this flow, use the 'Grant access to an item or a folder' action to assign 'Can edit' permissions back to the required users or SharePoint groups.

Document & File Issues