How to Show Last Modified Dates to SharePoint Site Visitors
Question details
Site owners need to make page or document last modified dates visible to SharePoint site visitors.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing a SharePoint site where visitors cannot see when a page or document was last updated.
- Observed behavior
- Site owners can see the modification dates, but these dates are hidden from users with visitor-level permissions.
Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions for the SharePoint site to modify page layouts and library settings.
Adjust Pages Library Permissions and Columns
Verify that visitors have the correct permissions to view the published pages and the Modified column in the Pages library.
Often, visitors cannot see the modified date because they do not have the appropriate read permissions for the specific column or the published version of the page.
Navigate to your SharePoint site and click the gear icon in the top right, then select 'Site contents'.
Locate the 'Site Pages' or 'Pages' library, click the ellipsis (...), and select 'Settings'.
Under the Views section, click your default view and ensure the 'Modified' column checkbox is checked to display it to users.
Go to 'Permissions for this document library' and verify that the 'Visitors' group has at least 'Read' access to view published items.
Add a Page Properties Web Part
If the date needs to be visible directly on the page layout rather than just in the library, use a web part to display it.
Manage Your Team Documents Locally with WPS Office
While SharePoint is excellent for web-based collaboration, managing and editing your Office documents locally is often faster. WPS Office is a free, lightweight alternative that offers full compatibility with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without the complex permission settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can owners see the SharePoint modified date but visitors cannot?
Owners often view pages in edit mode or have access to backend library columns that are hidden from standard visitors. Visitors only see the published layout and the columns explicitly shared with their permission level.
Does republishing a page update its last modified date?
Yes, editing and republishing a page will update the 'Modified' system column to the current date and time of the publication.
Can I hide the author name but keep the modified date on a SharePoint page?
Yes, you can use the Page properties web part to selectively display only the 'Modified' field without showing the 'Created By' or 'Modified By' fields.
