Permission & Access Issues

How to Share a SharePoint List with Read-Only Access in Microsoft Teams

WPS Editor Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to grant a specific group of users read-only access to a SharePoint list embedded in Microsoft Teams, preventing them from making unauthorized edits.

How to Share a SharePoint List with Read-Only Access in Microsoft Teams

Product: Microsoft Teams and SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sharing a SharePoint list with team members inside a Microsoft Teams channel while strictly enforcing read-only restrictions.
Observed behavior: The native Microsoft Teams Lists app does not consistently honor granular read-only permissions configured in SharePoint, sometimes allowing users to edit list items unintentionally.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions on the SharePoint site where the list is hosted, as you will need to modify the list's permission inheritance settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Unique Permissions and Add as a Website Tab

Stop permission inheritance in SharePoint to strictly assign Read access, and embed the list in Teams using a Website tab rather than the Lists app for consistent enforcement.

Because the native Lists app in Microsoft Teams relies heavily on Microsoft 365 Group permissions, it can sometimes override or conflict with granular SharePoint permissions. To guarantee that users can only view and not edit the list, you must break the permission inheritance directly in SharePoint and bypass the Lists app by using a standard Website tab in Teams.

Access SharePoint List Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint site, open the target list, click the Gear icon in the top right corner, and select 'List settings'.

Stop Permission Inheritance

Click 'Permissions for this list' under the Permissions and Management section. In the ribbon at the top, click 'Stop Inheriting Permissions' and confirm the prompt.

Grant Read-Only Access

Select the users or groups you want to restrict, click 'Edit User Permissions' in the ribbon, check the 'Read' permission box, and uncheck all other permission levels. Click 'OK' to save.

Copy the List URL

Navigate back to the default view of your SharePoint list and copy the complete URL from your web browser's address bar.

Add Website Tab in Teams

Open Microsoft Teams, go to your desired channel, and click the '+' icon at the top to add a new tab. Search for and select 'Website', name the tab, paste your SharePoint list URL, and click 'Save'.

Configure Unique Permissions and Add as a Website Tab

Permission Enforcement: Using the Website tab directly loads the SharePoint interface, ensuring all server-side read-only permissions are strictly enforced without interference from Microsoft Teams group settings.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience a Lighter, More Efficient Office Suite with WPS Office

Managing enterprise permissions in SharePoint and Teams can be complex, but handling your daily documents doesn't have to be. WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office for all your word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation needs.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
2. Install and Launch: Run the installer, follow the on-screen prompts, and open the WPS Office application.
3. Open Existing Files: Simply drag and drop your existing Microsoft Office files into the WPS interface to continue working without any formatting loss.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) to keep your data sharing seamless.Lightweight installation with a familiar, easy-to-navigate tabbed user interface.Built-in robust PDF editing and conversion tools at no extra cost.Free to use with a smooth migration path for all your existing Office documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can users still edit my SharePoint list when using the Teams Lists app?

The native Lists app in Teams integrates with Microsoft 365 Group permissions. Channel members often default to edit access, which can occasionally override or conflict with granular list-level permissions set in SharePoint.

Can I hide a SharePoint list from certain Teams members entirely?

Yes. By stopping permission inheritance in the SharePoint list settings, you can remove specific users or groups from the permissions list completely, preventing them from accessing or seeing the list data in the Website tab.

Will the Website tab in Teams look different than the Lists app?

Yes, the Website tab will display the standard SharePoint web interface rather than the customized Lists interface found in Teams. However, it guarantees that strict read-only permissions are accurately enforced.

How do I revert a list back to inheriting site permissions?

Go to the list's permission settings in SharePoint and click 'Delete unique permissions' in the top ribbon. This will erase custom restrictions and restore the default permission settings inherited from the parent SharePoint site.

Document & File Issues