Template Issues

How to Create a Reusable SharePoint Document Library Template

WPS Editor Oct 12, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to create a reusable SharePoint document library template that retains existing folders, metadata columns, views, and workflows.

How to Create a Reusable SharePoint Document Library Template

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Standardizing document management by reusing a pre-configured library structure across multiple SharePoint project sites.
Observed behavior: A customized document library needs to be saved and deployed as an app template, but the option requires specific site settings or administrator intervention to appear.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Administrator permissions to access library settings. If the template saving option is hidden, verify that custom scripts are enabled on your SharePoint tenant.

Solution 1Recommended

Save and Deploy a Document Library as a Template

Use SharePoint's built-in library settings to save your customized structure and deploy it as a new app on target sites.

This method allows you to package your document library's structure, including folders, columns, and views, into a single downloadable template file (.stp) that can be imported to other site collections.

Access Library Settings

Open the SharePoint document library you want to reuse. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner and select 'Library settings'.

Save as Template

Click on 'Save document library as template'. Enter a file name, template name, and template description. Check 'Include Content' only if you want to include existing documents, then click 'OK'.

Download the Template

Navigate to Site Settings > Web Designer Galleries > List templates. Find your newly created template, click on it, and download the .stp file to your computer.

Upload to Target Site

Go to the target SharePoint site where you want to use the template. Navigate to Site Settings > List templates, upload the downloaded .stp file, and save it.

Create New Library

On the target site, go to Site contents > Add an app. Search for your template name and select it to create a new library with the preserved structure.

Save and Deploy a Document Library as a Template

Preserved Content: If you selected 'Include Content', all files within the original library will also be cloned into the new library.

Solution 2

Enable Custom Scripts via PowerShell

If the 'Save document library as template' option is missing, a SharePoint Administrator must enable custom scripts for the site.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Save document library as template' option missing in SharePoint?

This option is typically hidden because custom scripting is disabled by default in modern SharePoint sites. A SharePoint administrator can enable it using the PowerShell command Set-SPOSite -DenyAddAndCustomizePages $False.

Will saving a SharePoint library as a template also save my files?

When you click 'Save document library as template', you are presented with an 'Include Content' checkbox. If checked, the existing files will be saved within the template up to the maximum template size limit (usually 50MB). If unchecked, only the folder structure, columns, and views are saved.

Can I use my document library template on a different SharePoint site collection?

Yes, by downloading the .stp file from the List templates gallery of the source site and uploading it to the List templates gallery of the target site collection, you can reuse the template across entirely different sites.

Document & File Issues