'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Restore Full Control for SharePoint Owners Group
Question details
The SharePoint Owners group is experiencing read-only access to specific folders and cannot manage permissions or edit documents.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to edit documents or manage permissions within specific SharePoint folders as a Site Owner.
- Observed behavior
- The Owners group is restricted to read-only access for two folders, despite having Full Control at the library and site levels.
Ensure you have Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator rights before attempting to modify advanced site permissions and inheritance settings.
Restore Permission Inheritance and Full Control via Advanced Settings
Check for broken permission inheritance and reassign Full Control to the Owners group using the folder's Advanced settings.
This issue typically occurs when a site owner or administrator intentionally or accidentally breaks permission inheritance for specific folders, overriding the site-level Full Control permissions.
Request a Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator to grant you site administrator privileges for the affected site if you do not already have them.
Navigate to the affected folder in your SharePoint document library, click the ellipsis (...) next to the folder name, and select 'Manage Access'.
Scroll to the bottom of the Manage Access panel and click on 'Advanced settings'.
Select the site Owners group from the permissions list, click 'Edit User Permissions', and check the box to restore 'Full Control'.
Open an InPrivate or Incognito browser window, log in with an Owner account, and verify if the correct editing access has been restored.
Looking for a Seamless Document Editing Experience? Try WPS Office
While SharePoint manages your cloud files and permissions, WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative to Microsoft Office for creating, editing, and collaborating on your downloaded documents.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and click Download WPS Office Free to get the installer.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the lightweight installer and follow the on-screen prompts to set up WPS Office on your device.
- 3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx files seamlessly without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my SharePoint Owners group suddenly have read-only access to a folder?
This typically happens when permission inheritance is broken at the folder level, and custom permissions are applied that restrict the Owners group to read-only access instead of their usual Full Control.
How can I tell if permission inheritance is broken in a SharePoint folder?
Navigate to the folder's Advanced settings. If inheritance is broken, you will see a banner message stating 'This folder has unique permissions' instead of 'This folder inherits permissions from its parent'.
Can a standard site member fix broken inheritance and restore permissions?
No, you need Site Owner, SharePoint Administrator, or Global Administrator privileges to manage access, access Advanced settings, and restore permission inheritance for groups.
