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How to Check In a SharePoint Page Locked by a Deleted User
Question details
The user needs to regain control and check in a SharePoint page that is locked because it was checked out to a deleted user account, without losing unpublished changes.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A former employee or deleted user account left a SharePoint page in a checked-out state, preventing others from editing or publishing it.
- Observed behavior
- The page is locked for editing, and attempting to modify or publish it fails due to the check-out status held by the deleted user account.
Ensure you have Site Owner or Administrator permissions for the SharePoint site, as standard user accounts cannot override another user's check-out status.
Force Check In via the Site Pages Library
Use this method if the page already has a previously checked-in version but is currently locked by a deleted user.
Site administrators can manually override a check-out lock directly from the Pages library. This ensures that any saved but unpublished changes made by the deleted user are retained and merged into the new version.
Log in to your SharePoint site as an administrator and click on 'Site contents' from the left-hand navigation menu or the settings gear icon.
Locate and click on the 'Site Pages' (or 'Pages') library where the locked page is stored.
Find the checked-out page. Click the ellipsis (three dots) next to the file name, select 'More' from the dropdown menu, and then click 'Check In'.
If prompted, choose the major version option, optionally add a version comment, and confirm to successfully check in the page.
Take Ownership via Library Settings
Use this method if the deleted user created the page but never checked it in, resulting in no checked-in versions existing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there no 'Check In' option available for the locked SharePoint page?
If you don't see the 'Check In' option, you likely lack Site Owner or Administrator permissions, or the file was never checked in initially. If it was never checked in, you must take ownership via the 'Manage files which have no checked-in versions' setting in the Library Settings.
What happens if I click 'Discard Check Out' on a page?
Clicking 'Discard Check Out' reverts the page to its last checked-in version. Any edits made by the user who had it checked out (such as the deleted user) will be permanently lost.
Can a standard user unlock a page checked out by a deleted user?
No. Standard users cannot override another user's check-out. A Site Owner, Site Collection Administrator, or SharePoint Administrator must step in to force the check-in or take ownership of the file.
