How to Restore Access After Removing SharePoint Site Owners Group
Question details
The user needs to restore owner access and fix the access-request processing after inadvertently deleting the default Site Owners group from a SharePoint site or library.
- Product
- SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing site permissions and configuring access requests in SharePoint.
- Observed behavior
- The owner's access is removed, preventing normal access-request processing across the SharePoint library or site.
Ensure you have Site Collection Administrator or Global Administrator credentials in Microsoft 365 before attempting to modify site permissions and group settings.
Restore the Owners Group via the Permission Setup Page
Directly access the hidden SharePoint permissions setup page to recreate or reassign the default Site Owners group for your site.
SharePoint maintains a dedicated setup page for default permission groups that is not always visible from the standard settings menu. Appending the correct path to your site URL allows you to restore these default configurations instantly.
Identify the main URL of your SharePoint site (e.g., https://yourdomain.sharepoint.com/sites/yoursite).
In your web browser's address bar, append `/_layouts/15/permsetup.aspx` to the end of your site URL and press Enter.
On the 'Set Up Groups for this Site' page, locate the 'Owners' section. Choose to either create a new group or select an existing appropriate group to act as the Site Owners.
Click the 'OK' button at the bottom of the page to apply the settings and restore access-request processing.
Add an Owner via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center
If direct site access is lost, a central SharePoint administrator can assign site collection ownership through the Microsoft 365 admin portal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does removing the Site Owners group prevent access requests?
The default Site Owners group is typically configured as the designated approver for incoming access requests. When this group is deleted, the access request system loses its target recipient, causing requests to stall or fail to process.
Can a standard site member access the permsetup.aspx page?
No. Accessing the hidden permsetup.aspx page requires Site Collection Administrator or Global Administrator privileges. Standard members will receive an access denied error.
How do I find the correct site URL to append the layout path?
Your site URL is the web address shown in your browser before any specific page or document library paths. It usually follows the format `https://[tenant].sharepoint.com/sites/[sitename]`.
