How to Change a OneDrive Folder Owner to View-Only Access
Question details
The user needs to downgrade a former colleague's access to a OneDrive folder from owner/full-control to view-only, but folder-level permission controls are unavailable.
- Product
- OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing file permissions for a former colleague who needs to retain read-only access without the ability to edit files or manage permissions.
- Observed behavior
- The user retains full control because the folder-level permission controls are unavailable or grayed out, likely due to inherited permissions from the parent site.
Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control administrator rights on the associated SharePoint site to modify inherited permissions.
Adjust Permissions at the SharePoint Site Level
Modify the user's role in the parent SharePoint site's Advanced Permission Settings to downgrade their access from Full Control to View-Only.
OneDrive folders often inherit their permission settings directly from the parent SharePoint site. When a user has Full Control at the site level, you cannot restrict their access to View-Only at the individual folder level without adjusting the site permissions or breaking inheritance.
Navigate to the parent SharePoint site where the OneDrive folder is hosted.
Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner of the site and select 'Site Permissions' from the menu.
Click on 'Advanced Permission Settings' to view the detailed access levels for all site users and groups.
Find the former colleague's username or the specific group (e.g., Site Owners) granting them Full Control.
Select the checkbox next to the user, click 'Edit User Permissions' on the ribbon, and change their access level from 'Full Control' to 'Read' or 'View Only'.
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- 1. Open WPS Office: Launch the WPS Office desktop application and open the document you wish to share.
- 2. Save to WPS Cloud: Save your document securely to the built-in WPS Cloud to enable online sharing.
- 3. Share with View-Only Access: Click the 'Share' button in the top right corner, set the permission dropdown to 'View Only', and copy the link to share with colleagues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the folder-level permission control unavailable or grayed out?
This usually happens when the OneDrive or SharePoint folder is configured to inherit permissions from its parent site. To change access, you must manage it from the site-level settings or break the inheritance first.
How do I stop a folder from inheriting SharePoint permissions?
Navigate to the folder's Manage Access panel, click 'Advanced', and select 'Stop Inheriting Permissions' in the ribbon. This allows you to set custom access levels specifically for that folder without affecting the parent site.
What is the difference between View-Only and Read permissions in SharePoint?
The 'Read' permission allows users to view, download, and copy files. The 'View-Only' permission strictly allows viewing the document within the browser but prevents the user from downloading or copying the file contents.
