Permission & Access Issues

How to Prevent Students from Editing Other Students' Class Notebook Uploads

Phi Hung Vo Sep 25, 2026 870 views

Question details

Teachers need to restrict students from editing files that other students have uploaded and linked in Microsoft Class Notebook.

How to Prevent Students from Editing Other Students' Class Notebook Uploads

Product: Microsoft Class Notebook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Students upload assignment files to OneDrive and insert the links into a shared Class Notebook.
Observed behavior: Uploaded files are stored in the class team’s document library, where inherited permissions grant other team members unintended edit access to those files.

Before you start

Ensure you have Microsoft 365 administrator privileges, as resolving complex SharePoint inheritance issues often requires access to the Admin Center and backend logs.

Solution 1Recommended

Submit a Support Ticket through Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Because this issue involves backend SharePoint inheritance and background logs, the official recommendation is to have an administrator contact Microsoft Support for a thorough investigation.

This permission behavior can sometimes be deeply tied to how your specific tenant or class team was configured. Standard troubleshooting may not be enough, and Microsoft's background logs are required to identify the available controls.

Access the Admin Center

Navigate to Support

On the left navigation pane, click on 'Show all' if necessary, then select 'Support' followed by 'Help & support'.

Create a New Service Request

Describe the issue briefly (e.g., 'Class Notebook file permission inheritance issue') and press Enter. If the suggested articles do not resolve your issue, click the headset icon or select 'Contact support'.

Provide Details

Fill out the required information, detailing that student uploads to OneDrive inserted into Class Notebook are inheriting team edit permissions, and submit the ticket.

Submit a Support Ticket through Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Administrator Required: If you are a teacher and not an IT administrator, you will need to ask your school's IT department to open this support ticket on your behalf.

Solution 2

Manually Adjust SharePoint Document Library Permissions

As a workaround, site owners can sometimes manually break permission inheritance for the specific folders where student files are stored.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office for Secure Document Creation and Sharing

While resolving intricate Microsoft 365 permission structures can be time-consuming, WPS Office offers a lightweight, free alternative for students and teachers. It provides an intuitive environment for creating, editing, and sharing assignments with full Microsoft Office compatibility.

1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free and install it on your PC or Mac.
2. Create the Assignment: Use WPS Writer, Spreadsheet, or Presentation to complete the coursework.
3. Export as PDF: To prevent unauthorized edits by peers, go to Menu > Export to PDF before sharing the file.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats, including DOCX, XLSX, and PPTXBuilt-in PDF tools allow students to export assignments as non-editable PDFs easilyFree and lightweight, ensuring students can work efficiently on older or low-spec devicesFamiliar user interface makes it easy for students to transition without a learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do students automatically get edit access to files in the Class Notebook?

When files are uploaded to a connected OneDrive and linked within the Class Notebook, they often land in the class team's underlying SharePoint document library. By default, this library inherits the team's overarching permissions, which usually grants edit access to all class members.

Can teachers fix this permission issue on their own?

Sometimes teachers can manage access directly by opening the SharePoint site and manually modifying folder permissions. However, deeply rooted inheritance bugs often require an IT administrator to review background logs and open a support ticket with Microsoft.

Is there a way for students to submit work without it being altered?

Yes, a practical workaround is to have students save or export their documents as PDF files before uploading them to the notebook. This ensures that even if other students have access to the file, they cannot easily modify its contents.

Document & File Issues