SharePoint Document Issues

Require SharePoint Check-Out to Prevent Document Editing Conflicts

Natalie Taylor Sep 25, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users want to prevent editing conflicts by automatically locking documents when they are being edited without manually checking them in or out.

How to Require SharePoint Check-Out to Prevent Document Editing Conflicts

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A team is collaborating in a SharePoint document library and needs to prevent simultaneous edits that cause conflicts.
Observed behavior: Users require a method to ensure documents are checked out before editing is permitted, restricting others from making changes until the document is checked back in.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Library Administrator permissions in SharePoint to modify the Versioning Settings of the document library.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable Require Check Out in SharePoint Library Settings

Configure the document library's versioning settings to mandate check-out before any document can be edited.

Open Library Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint document library, click the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner, and select Library settings.

Access Versioning Settings

Click on More library settings if you are in the modern experience, then click on Versioning settings under the General Settings column.

Enable the Check Out Requirement

Scroll down to the Require Check Out section, select Yes for 'Require documents to be checked out before they can be edited?', and click OK to save your changes.

Enable Require Check Out in SharePoint Library Settings

Co-authoring Consideration: Locking documents prevents simultaneous editing. If your team needs to edit files at the same time, utilizing modern Office co-authoring is preferable to requiring check-out.

Solution 2

Implement Alternative Restrictions

Use other SharePoint compliance features to control document modifications if standard check-out does not meet your workflow needs.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit Your Checked-Out Documents with WPS Office

If you are looking for a reliable suite to edit documents downloaded from SharePoint, WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office. It ensures seamless editing for all your business files.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free desktop application.
2. Open Checked-Out Files: Locate your synced or downloaded SharePoint document and open it with WPS Office.
3. Edit and Save: Make your changes using the rich editing tools and save the document to sync it back to SharePoint.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats like DOCX, XLSX, and PPTXFree to use with a lightweight installation processFamiliar tabbed interface that requires no learning curveBuilt-in PDF editor and comprehensive file format support

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if a user forgets to check a document back in?

If a document is left checked out, a SharePoint Site Administrator can go to the document library settings and use the 'Manage files which have no checked in version' option, or directly override the check-out from the document's context menu.

Can multiple people co-author a document when Require Check Out is enabled?

No. When a document is checked out, it is locked to that specific user. To allow simultaneous editing by multiple users, you must disable the Require Check Out setting and use modern Office co-authoring.

Why is AutoSave disabled for my SharePoint documents?

If the document library is configured to require check-out, AutoSave may be disabled for users who have not checked out the document, as it becomes read-only to prevent editing conflicts.

Document & File Issues