File Sharing Problems

How to Stop "Someone Else Saved Changes" Popup in Office

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to disable or fix the repeated Office popup stating that someone else has saved changes to a document, even when they are the only editor.

Product: Microsoft Office, OneDrive, SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing a document synced via OneDrive for Business or SharePoint.
Observed behavior: Office displays a notification that someone else has saved changes, which is likely caused by the user themselves having the file open in multiple locations or browser tabs.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, make sure to save a local copy of your current work to prevent any data loss or version conflicts during the synchronization reset.

Solution 1Recommended

Close Duplicate Sessions in OneDrive or SharePoint

Resolve the ghost editor issue by finding and closing instances of the document open in other browsers or devices.

When a document is stored in OneDrive for Business or SharePoint, opening it in multiple places (like a web browser, a desktop app, or another device) can make Office think another user is editing the file.

Instead of attempting to disable the warning, which could lead to document version conflicts, you should locate and close the duplicate sessions.

Check browser tabs

Look through your open web browser windows and tabs to see if the Office Online version of the document is currently open. Close any tabs where the file is active.

Check other devices

Ensure you haven't left the document open on a secondary computer, tablet, or mobile phone that is connected to the same OneDrive account.

Restart the Office application

Close the Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint desktop application completely and reopen the file to refresh the sync connection.

OneDrive Sync Activity: OneDrive registers each open instance as a separate user session. Closing these extra instances immediately resolves the notification.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Office say someone else is editing my file when I am the only one working on it?

This usually happens because you have the exact same file open in another location, such as a browser tab viewing SharePoint, a mobile app, or a background process synced to OneDrive.

Can I permanently disable the "someone else saved changes" warning?

It is not recommended to disable this warning, as it protects your file from data loss and version overwrites. Instead, resolve the underlying issue by closing duplicate active sessions.

Does this error mean my OneDrive account has been hacked?

Not necessarily. In most cases, it simply means your own account has the file open on multiple devices or browser instances. However, you can always check your account login activity if you suspect unauthorized access.

How do I force OneDrive to sync the latest version of my file?

You can force a sync by clicking the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray, pausing the sync, and then resuming it. Alternatively, save a copy of the document with a new name.

Document & File Issues