Permission & Access Issues

How to Track SharePoint Site Changes and Permission Updates

Rana Garcia Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to identify historical modifications to a SharePoint site, specifically finding out who granted specific permissions, even though Microsoft Purview audit logging was not enabled at the time.

How to Track SharePoint Site Changes and Permission Updates

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to track administrative actions, site changes, and permission updates within a SharePoint environment.
Observed behavior: Historical permission changes and author logs are missing or inaccessible because standard audit logging was not previously activated.

Before you start

Verify your current administrative access level in SharePoint and check if any third-party compliance or logging tools were active prior to the changes.

Solution 1Recommended

Consult Microsoft Developer Communities for Workarounds

Since native historical tracking is severely limited without Purview audit logging, reaching out to specialized developer communities is the best next step.

Without Microsoft Purview audit logging enabled in advance, native SharePoint does not typically store detailed historical permission changes or retain granular author logs for administrative actions.

To explore advanced PowerShell scripts or hidden logs that might retain partial metadata, you will need to engage with SharePoint development experts.

Visit Microsoft Q&A

Navigate to the Microsoft Q&A platform and sign in with your Microsoft administrative account.

Use Appropriate Tags

Post your detailed scenario using the 'SharePoint Development' tag to ensure your question reaches the right backend experts.

Check the SharePoint Developer Community

Alternatively, visit the official SharePoint Developer Community forums to ask if any API endpoints can expose recent unlogged permission changes.

Consult Microsoft Developer Communities for Workarounds

Audit Logging Limitation: Always enable Microsoft Purview audit logging proactively to ensure future site changes and permission updates are recorded.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see SharePoint permission changes if audit logging was turned off?

Generally, no. Native SharePoint requires Microsoft Purview audit logging to be enabled beforehand to capture detailed permission changes and administrative logs.

How do I enable Microsoft Purview audit logging for future use?

Go to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal, navigate to the Audit section, and click 'Start recording user and admin activity' to track future site events.

Is there any default logging in SharePoint outside of Purview?

Site contents and the recycle bin may show recent file deletions or creations, but granular permission grants and role changes typically require dedicated audit logging.

Document & File Issues