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How to Limit the Details Pane and Activity Links in SharePoint Lists
Question details
The user wants to restrict access to the Details pane and activity links in SharePoint or Microsoft Lists to hide item activity and modification metadata from other users.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint / Microsoft Lists
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to improve privacy and restrict users from viewing detailed item activity logs and modification histories within a shared list.
- Observed behavior
- SharePoint and Microsoft Lists expose item activity and modification information by default in the Details pane, which standard view settings do not completely disable.
Ensure you have Site Owner or List Administrator permissions to modify list view settings and adjust item-level permissions.
Adjust List View Settings to Hide Activity Links
Modify the Tabular View, Style, and Folder settings in your List to reduce user access to the Details pane and activity links.
While SharePoint does not offer a single button to completely disable the Details pane, you can severely limit user interaction with it by changing how the list is displayed. This method removes the checkboxes that users typically click to open the details pane.
Navigate to your SharePoint list or Microsoft List. Click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner and select 'List settings'.
Scroll down to the bottom of the settings page to the 'Views' section and click on the specific view you want to modify (e.g., 'All Items').
Scroll to the 'Tabular View' section and uncheck the box for 'Allow individual item checkboxes'.
Under the 'Style' section, select 'Default' or 'Basic Table'. Then, under 'Folders', clear the 'Show all items without folders' option.
Click 'OK' at the bottom or top of the page to apply your new view settings.
Configure Item-Level Permissions for Strict Privacy
Use advanced list settings to enforce strict item-level permissions if view settings do not provide enough privacy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I completely disable the Details pane in SharePoint?
No, SharePoint currently does not offer a native toggle switch to completely disable or remove the Details pane for all users. You can only limit access to the data by altering the list view format and applying strict item-level permissions.
Why can users still see 'Modified By' information after changing the view?
View settings only change how the data is presented on the screen, not the underlying permissions. Default metadata like 'Modified By' and 'Modified Date' remain accessible unless you configure Item-Level Permissions in the Advanced Settings to hide items entirely from non-owners.
Do these limitations apply to Microsoft Lists as well?
Yes. Because Microsoft Lists is built upon the SharePoint infrastructure, modifying the Tabular View, Style, and folder configurations will apply similar access limitations to the Details pane in both platforms.
