SharePoint Document Issues

How to Resolve the SharePoint List View Threshold for Large Libraries

Camila Milosovich Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve the list view threshold limit to properly view, filter, and duplicate pages in a large SharePoint library.

How to Resolve the SharePoint List View Threshold for More Than 10,000 Pages

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to manage or duplicate pages in a SharePoint document library that contains more than 10,000 pages.
Observed behavior: SharePoint displays a list view threshold error (exceeding 5,000 items) and prevents users from duplicating pages or displaying the full library view.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Administrator permissions in your SharePoint environment to modify list settings, create column indexes, and edit public views.

Solution 1Recommended

Add Column Indexes and Create Filtered Views

The most effective way to bypass the 5,000 item limit is by indexing specific columns and configuring views that filter the results to display fewer than 5,000 items.

SharePoint limits list views to 5,000 items to prevent database locking and maintain server performance. To work with libraries holding more than 10,000 items, you must use indexed columns combined with filtered views.

Note: If your list currently contains more than 20,000 items, you may be blocked from creating new indexes. You will need to temporarily reduce the list size below 20,000 items before applying the index.

Access Library Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint document library. Click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner and select 'Library settings' or 'List settings'.

Create an Indexed Column

Scroll down to the Columns section and click on 'Indexed columns'. Click 'Create a new index' and choose a column that you frequently use to filter documents (e.g., Created By, Date, or Category).

Configure a Filtered View

Return to the Library settings page and scroll down to the Views section. Select your default view or click 'Create view'.

Apply Filter Rules

In the view configuration, scroll to the 'Filter' section. Set a rule using the column you just indexed (e.g., Category is equal to 'Marketing') to ensure the total number of items returned by this view is strictly under 5,000.

Add Column Indexes and Create Filtered Views

Temporary Item Reduction: If you receive an error when creating an index because the list exceeds 20,000 items, temporarily archive or move files to another library, create the index, and then move the files back.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint have a 5,000 item list view threshold?

SharePoint implements the 5,000 item limit to maintain server performance. Fetching more than 5,000 items at once from the underlying SQL database can lock the entire table, causing significant slowdowns or timeouts for all users on the platform.

Can I increase the list view threshold in SharePoint Online?

No. In SharePoint Online, the 5,000 item threshold is strictly enforced by Microsoft and cannot be modified by site administrators. You must use indexed columns and filtered views to manage large lists.

What happens if my SharePoint list exceeds 20,000 items?

If a list or library exceeds 20,000 items, SharePoint may block you from creating new column indexes. You will need to temporarily reduce the list size to below 20,000 by archiving or moving items before you can add new indexes.

How do I know if my list view exceeds the threshold?

If a view is configured to return more than 5,000 items without proper indexing and filtering, SharePoint will display an error message stating 'The view cannot be displayed because the number of items in a list exceeds the list view threshold' when you attempt to load it.

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