Permission & Access Issues

How to Prevent Users from Deleting Files in a Shared OneDrive Folder

Camila Milosovich Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to grant collaborators edit access to a shared folder without giving them permission to delete the files inside.

How to Prevent Users from Deleting Files in a Shared OneDrive Folder

Product: Microsoft OneDrive / SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sharing a project folder with multiple users and needing to protect critical files from being accidentally or intentionally deleted while still allowing edits.
Observed behavior: Standard OneDrive sharing permissions only offer basic 'Can edit' (which includes deletion rights) or 'Can view' options, lacking a dedicated 'edit without delete' restriction.

Before you start

Verify whether you are using a personal OneDrive account or OneDrive for Business, as advanced custom permissions are only available through SharePoint integrations in business or enterprise plans.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a SharePoint Document Library for Custom Permissions

Since standard OneDrive sharing does not support 'edit without delete' rights, utilizing a SharePoint document library allows administrators to create granular custom permission levels.

Modern OneDrive interfaces do not natively allow you to restrict deletion while simultaneously granting edit access. To achieve this, you need to use SharePoint (which powers OneDrive for Business on the backend) to create and assign a custom permission level.

Access Site Permissions

Go to your SharePoint site, click on the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner, select 'Site permissions', and then click on 'Advanced permissions settings'.

Open Permission Levels

In the advanced settings ribbon, click on 'Permission Levels', then select the standard 'Edit' permission level to view its details.

Copy the Permission Level

Scroll to the bottom of the Edit permissions page and click the 'Copy Permission Level' button to use it as a baseline.

Customize and Create

Name the new permission level (e.g., 'Edit without Delete'). In the list of list permissions, uncheck both 'Delete Items' and 'Delete Versions'. Click 'Create' at the bottom of the page.

Assign the Custom Permission

Return to your document library, break permission inheritance if necessary, and assign this newly created 'Edit without Delete' permission level to your shared users.

Use a SharePoint Document Library for Custom Permissions

Requires Admin Rights: You must have site owner or SharePoint administrator privileges to create and manage custom permission levels.

Solution 2

Review Standard OneDrive Sharing Options

If you are using a personal account or cannot use SharePoint, you must choose from the available standard permissions in OneDrive as a compromise.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there no 'Edit but not delete' permission in standard OneDrive?

Microsoft designed standard OneDrive for straightforward file sharing where 'Edit' implies full control over the file, including the ability to delete or rename it. For granular permissions like preventing deletion, Microsoft requires the use of SharePoint's advanced permission settings.

Can I switch to the classic OneDrive interface to change permissions?

Microsoft has largely phased out the classic OneDrive interface. While older tutorials might suggest switching to classic mode to access advanced permissions, modern administrative control over document libraries must now be handled directly through the SharePoint interface.

Does view-only access prevent users from downloading files?

By default, users with view-only access can still download copies of the files. However, when sharing a file in OneDrive, you can explicitly toggle on the 'Block download' option in the link settings to prevent users from downloading or printing the document.

Document & File Issues