SharePoint Document Issues

How to Remove Site Contents from SharePoint Left Navigation

Jason Miller Oct 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to remove the Site Contents link from the left navigation pane in SharePoint.

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Customizing the SharePoint site layout to hide the default Site Contents navigation link from users.
Observed behavior: The goal is to hide the navigation link successfully while ensuring that the actual Site Contents page, lists, and document libraries remain intact and accessible to site owners.

Before you start

Verify that you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions for the SharePoint site, as editing navigation settings requires administrative privileges.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove Site Contents via Quick Launch Settings

The standard method to safely delete the navigation link from the Site Settings menu without impacting actual site data.

This approach uses the classic Site Settings page to modify the Quick Launch navigation. It ensures that only the link is removed, keeping all underlying documents and lists completely secure.

Access Site Settings

Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner of your SharePoint site, select 'Site Information', and then click on 'View all site settings'.

Open Quick Launch Options

In the Site Settings page, locate the 'Look and Feel' section and click on 'Quick Launch'.

Delete the Link

Find 'Site Contents' in the navigation list, click the Edit icon next to it, and select 'Delete' to remove it from the left menu.

Remove Site Contents via Quick Launch Settings

Data Safety Confirmed: Removing this link only alters the visual navigation menu. It does not delete your lists, libraries, files, or the Site Contents page.

Solution 2

Remove via Modern Site Edit Navigation

A faster inline editing method available directly on the homepage of modern SharePoint team sites.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Enhance Your Document Workflow with WPS Office

While customizing your SharePoint environment, you often need to manage and edit Office documents. WPS Office is a powerful, lightweight, and free alternative to Microsoft Office that offers seamless compatibility for all your Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files downloaded from SharePoint.

1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and follow the installation wizard.
2. Open SharePoint Documents: Launch WPS Office and directly open any Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document you have downloaded from your SharePoint libraries.
3. Edit and Save Seamlessly: Edit your documents using the familiar interface and save them in their original formats to upload back to SharePoint.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) stored in SharePoint.Lightweight and fast, ensuring quick opening and editing of large documents.Familiar user interface with minimal learning curve for effortless migration.All-in-one suite combining Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF tools in a single window.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I remove Site Contents from navigation, how can I access it as an owner?

Site owners can still easily access the Site Contents page by clicking the Settings gear icon in the top right corner and selecting 'Site contents', or by manually adding '/_layouts/15/viewlsts.aspx' to the end of the site URL.

Why is the Edit option missing on my SharePoint left navigation?

The Edit option might be missing if your specific site template does not support inline navigation editing, if the site inherits its navigation settings from a parent site, or if you lack Owner or Designer permissions.

Does removing the Site Contents link delete my libraries or lists?

No, removing the link is purely a cosmetic change to the navigation menu. All your underlying lists, document libraries, uploaded files, and the actual Site Contents page remain completely safe and active.

Document & File Issues