SharePoint Document Issues

How to Make SharePoint Modified By Show the Actual User

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants the SharePoint Modified By column to accurately display the name of the person who edited a file, rather than generic app identities.

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Tracking document version history and auditing file modifications in a SharePoint library.
Observed behavior: The SharePoint Modified column displays 'SharePoint App' instead of the name of the person who actually made the change.

Before you start

Determine whether the document updates were made directly within the SharePoint browser interface or through automated scripts/custom code like SPFx, PnP JS, or .NET.

Solution 1Recommended

Troubleshoot Direct Browser Edits

Use this method if users are manually editing files in SharePoint but their changes are still being attributed to 'SharePoint App'.

Clear Browser Data

Log out of your current SharePoint session and clear your browser's cache and cookies to remove any stored service account credentials.

Open an InPrivate Window

Open a new InPrivate (Edge) or Incognito (Chrome) browser window to ensure a clean session.

Test with a Minor Edit

Log back into SharePoint using your specific user credentials, make a minor edit to a test document, and check if the 'Modified By' column now accurately reflects your username.

Cached Credential Conflicts: Browser cached credentials from automated apps or service accounts can sometimes cause manual edits to log under the app's identity instead of the user's.

Solution 2

Review Authentication for Custom Code (SPFx, PnP JS, .NET)

Apply this solution if the document updates are being triggered by custom applications or scripts connecting to your SharePoint environment.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint show 'SharePoint App' as the modifier?

This typically happens when a document is updated by an automated process, Power Automate workflow, or custom application that authenticates using app-only permissions rather than an individual user's delegated credentials.

Can I manually change the 'Modified By' value in SharePoint?

No, SharePoint does not allow users to manually edit the 'Modified By' or 'Created By' fields through the standard interface, as they are system-generated audit fields. They can only be altered programmatically during migrations using specific developer tools or scripts.

How can I accurately track user edits inside a shared document?

Within the document itself, you can turn on 'Track Changes' in Word or 'Track Changes' in Excel. This maintains a detailed, internal log of which user made specific edits, completely separate from SharePoint's file-level metadata.

Document & File Issues