How to Fix SharePoint Users Lost Permissions After Adding an Owner
Question details
A SharePoint site owner needs to restore access for existing users who can no longer create list items or change permissions after another user was added to the Owners group.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint Online / Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user was added to the SharePoint Owners group, and afterward existing site users lost the ability to create list items or manage permissions.
- Observed behavior
- Affected users show Limited Access or receive permission errors, and the site owner may see disabled list settings or cannot reassign permissions.
Confirm that you can access the affected SharePoint site as a site owner or with permission to open Advanced permissions settings, and note which user was recently added to the Owners group.
Check and Restore Permissions in SharePoint Advanced Permissions Settings
Use this first to verify each affected user's effective access and restore the required permission level after an owner change.
Adding a user to the SharePoint Owners group should not remove existing user permissions, but permission inheritance or limited access can still cause users to lose the ability to create list items or change permissions.
On the affected SharePoint site, select the Settings gear, choose Site permissions, and then select Advanced permissions settings.
In the Permissions tab, select Check Permissions, enter the affected user's name, and review the access level that SharePoint displays.
If the user shows only Limited Access, select the user or group, open Edit User Permissions, and assign the required level such as Contribute or Full Control.
Ask the affected user to refresh the list or site and test creating a list item or opening List Settings to confirm access is restored.
Escalate the Issue to the Microsoft 365 Tenant Administrator
Use this when the site owner cannot manage permissions or the permission problem is not resolved by reassigning access.
Use WPS Office as a Free Alternative for Microsoft Office Documents
SharePoint permission issues are managed in Microsoft 365 and are not fixed inside WPS Office. For everyday document tasks, WPS Office is a free, lightweight Office alternative that opens Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with a familiar ribbon interface and smooth migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did existing SharePoint users lose permissions after I added an owner?
Adding a user to the Site Owners group normally does not remove other permissions. Open Advanced permissions settings and select Check Permissions to see whether affected users have only Limited Access, then reassign Contribute or Full Control.
How do I check a user's effective permissions in SharePoint?
Go to the affected SharePoint site, select Settings gear > Site permissions > Advanced permissions settings, then select Check Permissions and enter the user's name.
What should I do if the site owner still cannot manage SharePoint permissions?
Confirm the site owner has Full Control, test another SharePoint site to see if the issue is isolated, and ask the Microsoft 365 tenant administrator to submit a service request in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Can WPS Office fix SharePoint permission problems?
No. SharePoint permissions are controlled by Microsoft 365. WPS Office can help you open and edit the Office documents used with SharePoint, but permission changes must be made in SharePoint or Microsoft 365.
