SharePoint Document Issues

How to Remove a Former Employee's Editing Lock from a SharePoint Page

Emma Brown Oct 7, 2026 870 views

Question details

A SharePoint site owner needs to unlock a page that is currently locked for editing by a former employee.

How to Remove a Former Employee's Editing Lock from a SharePoint Page

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: The user is trying to edit a SharePoint page but finds it checked out or locked by an inactive account.
Observed behavior: The page is locked for editing, preventing the site owner or team members from making necessary updates.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or SharePoint Administrator privileges before attempting to override a checked-out page.

Solution 1Recommended

Discard the Checkout or Check In the Page via Site Pages

Use the Site Pages library to manually check in the page or discard the previous user's checkout.

If you are a site owner, you have the necessary permissions to override a checkout. Discarding the checkout will unlock the page but will also erase any unsaved or unpublished changes made by the former employee.

Open the Site Pages Library

Navigate to your SharePoint site. Click the gear icon (Settings) and select 'Site contents', then open the 'Site Pages' library.

Locate the Locked Page

Find the specific page that is locked by the former employee. You will see a small arrow overlaid on the file icon indicating it is checked out.

Access the Context Menu

Hover over the page name, click the three vertical dots (ellipsis) to open the menu, and go to 'More'.

Discard Checkout

Select 'Discard checkout' to unlock the page. Alternatively, if 'Check in' is available, you can choose it to save their pending changes and restore edit access.

Discard the Checkout or Check In the Page via Site Pages

Data Loss Warning: Selecting 'Discard checkout' will permanently erase any unpublished edits made by the former employee since they last checked the page in.

Solution 2

Request Administrator Assistance

If you lack sufficient permissions to discard the checkout, a SharePoint Administrator can take ownership of the file.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Avoid Collaboration Locks with WPS Office

While SharePoint locks can unexpectedly halt productivity, WPS Office offers seamless real-time co-editing and file sharing without restrictive checkout systems. Enjoy a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for your team's document management.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free desktop application for your operating system.
2. Upload to WPS Cloud: Save your shared documents to WPS Cloud to enable seamless multi-user collaboration.
3. Co-edit in Real Time: Invite team members via a sharing link and edit documents simultaneously without worrying about file lockouts.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Real-time co-authoring without restrictive checkout locks.Free and lightweight alternative to heavy Microsoft ecosystems.Familiar user interface for a zero-learning-curve transition.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint lock pages for editing?

SharePoint uses a 'check out' feature to prevent conflicting changes when multiple users try to edit a document or page simultaneously. Only the user who checked it out can make edits until it is checked back in.

Can I see the changes the former employee made before discarding the checkout?

No. If the page was checked out and the changes were never checked in, those edits are stored locally in the former employee's cache or personal draft state and cannot be viewed by others.

Will I need special permissions to discard another user's checkout?

Yes, you generally need Site Owner, Full Control, or SharePoint Administrator permissions to override or discard a checkout initiated by another user.

Document & File Issues