Permission & Access Issues

How to Replace SharePoint Direct Access for Another User

Adam Davis Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove a former employee's direct access permissions in SharePoint and transfer or grant equivalent access to a replacement user.

How to Replace SharePoint Direct Access for Another User

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An employee is leaving or being replaced, requiring their direct folder or file permissions to be accurately transferred to the new employee.
Observed behavior: The user needs a reliable method to stop inheritance, revoke the old user's permissions, and issue appropriate access to the new user without disrupting the rest of the team.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions for the SharePoint folder or site before attempting to modify access rights and break permission inheritance.

Solution 1Recommended

Replace Direct Access via SharePoint Manage Access

Use the SharePoint web interface to manually update permissions for a single folder or file.

This method is ideal for single folders or files. It allows site owners to visually confirm permission changes and ensure the new employee has the exact same access level as the previous one.

Open Manage Access

Navigate to the SharePoint folder in your browser, click the three dots (ellipsis) next to the folder name, and select 'Manage access'.

Access Advanced Settings

Scroll to the bottom of the Manage Access panel and click on 'Advanced settings' to view the full permission matrix.

Stop Inheriting Permissions

If the folder currently inherits permissions from the parent site, click 'Stop Inheriting Permissions' in the top ribbon and confirm.

Remove the Former User

Select the checkbox next to the former employee's name and click 'Remove User Permissions' in the ribbon.

Grant Access to the New User

Click 'Grant Permissions', enter the replacement employee's name or email address, choose the appropriate permission level (e.g., Edit or Read), and click 'Share'.

Replace Direct Access via SharePoint Manage Access

Permission Inheritance: Breaking inheritance means any future permission changes made on the parent folder will no longer automatically apply to this specific folder.

Solution 2

Bulk Replace Direct Access using PowerShell

Use SharePoint Online PowerShell or Microsoft Graph to automate permission replacement across multiple folders.

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While SharePoint handles site-level permissions, WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative to Microsoft Office for creating, editing, and collaborating on your team's documents.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to subfolders when I stop inheriting permissions?

When you stop inheriting permissions on a parent folder, its subfolders and files will retain those custom permissions unless they have their own unique permissions explicitly set at a lower level.

Can I just rename the old user's account to the new user?

While renaming an account in Microsoft 365 is technically possible, it is not recommended for replacing employees. Doing so merges their personal data, OneDrive files, and historical activity, which can cause compliance and privacy issues.

How do I know who currently has direct access to a folder?

Select the folder, click the ellipsis (...), choose 'Manage access', and scroll down to the 'Direct access' section. This will show you exactly which users and groups have been explicitly granted permissions to that item.

Document & File Issues