Permission & Access Issues

How to Set Up Read-Only Permissions in Microsoft Planner

Khadija Khan Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need a way to grant read-only access in Microsoft Planner to prevent unauthorized task creation, deletion, and editing while allowing stakeholders to view project progress.

How to Create Read-Only User Permissions in Microsoft Planner

Product: Microsoft Planner
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sharing project plans, RACI matrixes, and task statuses with stakeholders or team members who should only view the information without having permission to alter it.
Observed behavior: By default, all members added to a Microsoft Planner plan are granted full editing rights. The system does not currently offer a native read-only role or permission level.

Before you start

Since Microsoft Planner lacks a native read-only role, ensure you have active access to Power Automate and SharePoint within your Microsoft 365 environment to configure the recommended sync workaround.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate to Sync Planner Tasks to a Read-Only SharePoint List

Create an automated flow that copies your Planner tasks into a SharePoint List, where you can natively apply read-only permissions for specific users.

Microsoft Planner does not support custom permission levels because it is built on Microsoft 365 Groups, which enforce a flat permission structure. To work around this, you can mirror your Planner data into a SharePoint List.

SharePoint allows for granular permission control, enabling you to share the mirrored list with an 'Informed' audience who can only view the data.

Set up a SharePoint List

Navigate to your SharePoint site and create a new List. Add columns that correspond to your Planner task details, such as Task Name, Assigned To, Status, and Due Date.

Create a Power Automate Flow

Log in to Power Automate. Create an 'Automated cloud flow' and set the trigger to 'When a task is created' or 'When a task is completed' under the Microsoft Planner connector.

Map the Data Fields

Add a new step to 'Create item' in SharePoint. Select your site and newly created List. Map the dynamic content from your Planner trigger to the corresponding SharePoint columns.

Assign Read-Only Access

Go to your SharePoint List settings, select 'Permissions for this list', stop inheriting permissions, and grant your specific stakeholders or groups 'Read' access.

Use Power Automate to Sync Planner Tasks to a Read-Only SharePoint List

One-Way Synchronization: This workaround creates a one-way sync. Any edits must be made by authorized users directly inside Planner, which will then reflect in the read-only SharePoint list.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Projects Securely with WPS Spreadsheets

If Microsoft Planner's lack of read-only permissions disrupts your RACI workflow, consider managing your project trackers in WPS Office. As a powerful Microsoft Office alternative, WPS Spreadsheets allows you to easily lock documents and grant precise read-only access to stakeholders without complex automated workflows.

1. Open your project tracker: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing project management file.
2. Access the Review tab: Click on the 'Review' tab located in the top ribbon interface.
3. Protect the spreadsheet: Click 'Protect Sheet', choose a secure password, and uncheck editing permissions to enforce read-only access before sharing.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formats for easy migrationNative cell locking and read-only password protection featuresFree, lightweight suite that includes Writer, Presentation, and SpreadsheetFamiliar user interface with zero learning curve for Office users

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Microsoft Planner have a native read-only feature?

Microsoft Planner is integrated with Microsoft 365 Groups, which operates on a unified membership model where all members share equal editing rights by design. Despite high demand from users, Microsoft has not yet separated Planner permissions from the underlying Group permissions.

Can I use Microsoft Teams to restrict access to a Planner tab?

No. When you add a Planner tab to a Microsoft Teams channel, anyone with access to that channel is automatically granted full edit permissions to the plan. Teams permissions do not override Planner's default edit rights.

Is there a simpler way to share Planner data without Power Automate?

Yes. If you do not need real-time updates, you can click the three dots (...) at the top of your Planner board and select 'Export plan to Excel'. You can then share the resulting Excel spreadsheet as a read-only file with your stakeholders.

Document & File Issues