SharePoint Document Issues

How to Disable SharePoint Co-Authoring for a Document Library

Bushra Parveen Oct 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to stop multiple people from editing documents simultaneously in a SharePoint library.

How to Disable SharePoint Co-Authoring for an Entire Library

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing a SharePoint document library where simultaneous editing needs to be restricted.
Observed behavior: SharePoint allows co-authoring by default, requiring a workaround to enforce exclusive editing rights per file.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions for the SharePoint document library you intend to configure.

Solution 1Recommended

Require File Check-Out in Library Settings

Since SharePoint does not have a direct co-authoring toggle, enabling the 'Require Check Out' feature ensures only one person can edit a file at a time.

When this setting is enabled, users must explicitly check out a document before making any changes. Other users will be locked out from editing until the document is checked back in, effectively disabling co-authoring.

Open Library Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint document library, click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner, and select 'Library settings'.

Access Versioning Settings

In the settings menu, locate and click on 'Versioning settings'.

Enable Check-Out Requirement

Scroll down to the 'Require Check Out' section and set 'Require documents to be checked out before they can be edited' to 'Yes'.

Save Changes

Click 'OK' to save your settings. Users will now need to check out files before editing.

Require File Check-Out in Library Settings

Check-In Requirement: Remind your team to check files back in once they finish editing, otherwise the document will remain locked for everyone else.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I disable co-authoring for just one specific document in SharePoint?

Yes, instead of changing the entire library's settings, you can manually check out a single document. Hover over the file, click the three dots (Show actions), go to 'More', and select 'Check out'.

What happens if someone forgets to check a document back in?

The document remains locked for other users. A Site Administrator can override this by navigating to the library settings and using the 'Manage files which have no checked in version' option, or by manually discarding the checkout.

Does requiring check-out affect users reading the document?

No, other users can still open and read the latest checked-in version of the document. However, they will not be able to save new edits to it until the file is checked back in.

Document & File Issues