Permission & Access Issues

How to Make a SharePoint List Column Editable Again After Migration

Rana Garcia Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to restore editing capabilities to a SharePoint list comments column that became read-only after migrating from SharePoint 2013 to Microsoft 365.

How to Make a SharePoint List Column Editable Again

Product: SharePoint Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Post-migration data management where users need to update fields in a migrated SharePoint list.
Observed behavior: A comments column that was previously editable in SharePoint 2013 is now completely read-only in Microsoft 365 and cannot be modified by users.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions on the migrated SharePoint site to modify list settings, and verify that no custom workflows are intentionally locking the column.

Solution 1Recommended

Test in Classic Experience and Verify Column Settings

Switching to the Classic Experience helps identify whether the read-only issue is caused by the Modern UI rendering or an actual backend configuration lock.

SharePoint Online does not have a direct toggle to make list columns read-only in all situations. However, during a migration from SharePoint 2013, compatibility issues can cause columns to lock in the Modern Experience.

Open the affected list

Navigate to the migrated SharePoint site and open the list containing the read-only comments column.

Switch to Classic Experience

Click the 'Return to Classic Experience' link located at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Test column editing

Attempt to edit an item and modify the comments column. If it is editable here, the issue is specific to the Modern view.

Review List Settings

Click the gear icon, select 'List settings', and check the column configurations, content types, and permissions to ensure nothing was improperly mapped during migration.

Test in Classic Experience and Verify Column Settings

Migration Customizations: Custom InfoPath forms or third-party customizations from SharePoint 2013 often cause modern rendering issues. Recreating the column might be necessary if it remains permanently locked.

Solution 2

Submit a Microsoft 365 Admin Support Ticket

If the column remains read-only in both Classic and Modern experiences, backend diagnostic logs must be reviewed by Microsoft Support.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a Hassle-Free Office Suite? Try WPS Office

While resolving complex SharePoint migration and permission issues requires admin-level troubleshooting, your everyday document work shouldn't be complicated. WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office for creating, editing, and managing your files.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the fast setup process.
3. Open Your Office Documents: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Microsoft Office files with perfect formatting preservation.

Seamless format compatibility with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Lightweight design ensuring fast startup times and smooth performance.Familiar user interface making it easy to switch without any learning curve.Built-in PDF tools for reading, editing, and converting documents.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do SharePoint columns become read-only after a migration?

During a migration from older platforms like SharePoint 2013, custom configurations, unsupported field types, or specific migration tool behaviors can unintentionally flag a column's internal 'ReadOnly' property to true in Microsoft 365.

How can I access list settings in SharePoint Online?

While viewing your SharePoint list, click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner of the page, then click 'List settings' from the dropdown menu to access column and permission configurations.

Can I use PowerShell to force a read-only column to become editable?

Yes, experienced SharePoint administrators can use PnP PowerShell to connect to the site and update the 'ReadOnlyField' property of the specific list column to false, which often resolves backend locks without recreating the column.

Document & File Issues