Permission & Access Issues

Troubleshoot SharePoint Custom Add Only Permission Errors

John Wilson Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an Access Denied error that occurs when moving or copying files into a SharePoint document library configured with a custom Add Only permission level.

How to Troubleshoot SharePoint Custom Add Only Permission Errors

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Moving or copying files between SharePoint document libraries where the destination library has restricted custom permissions.
Observed behavior: An Access Denied error is thrown when attempting to move or copy files, despite the user having a custom Add Only permission level in the destination library.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or SharePoint Administrator privileges, as you will need access to advanced site permissions and library settings to modify permission levels.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify and Compare Advanced Permission Levels

Check the granular permissions included in your custom Add Only level and compare them against the standard Edit permissions to ensure no required permissions are missing.

A custom Add Only permission level might lack hidden dependencies required for moving or copying files, such as specific view or application page rights.

Navigate to Site Settings

Open your SharePoint site, click on the Settings gear icon in the top right corner, and select 'Site Settings' or 'Site Information' followed by 'View all site settings'.

Open Advanced Permission Settings

Under the 'Users and Permissions' section, click on 'Site permissions', then click 'Advanced permissions settings' from the ribbon.

Review Permission Levels

Click on 'Permission Levels' in the ribbon. Select your custom 'Add Only' permission level and ensure that 'Add Items', 'View Items', 'Open Items', 'View Versions', 'View Application Pages', 'View Pages', and 'Open' are all checked.

Compare with Edit Permissions

Open the standard 'Edit' permission level in a new tab and compare the selected checkboxes to identify any missing site-level or personal permissions that might be blocking the file transfer.

Verify and Compare Advanced Permission Levels

Browser Caching: Test your permission changes in an InPrivate or Incognito browser window to ensure cached credentials or previous session states do not skew your results.

Solution 2

Check Library Versioning and Checkout Settings

Ensure that the destination document library does not have mandatory checkout or strict versioning rules that conflict with an Add Only permission level.

Solution 3

Test Alternative Upload Methods

Isolate whether the error is specific to the 'Move/Copy' command within SharePoint or if it applies to all upload methods.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does moving a file require different permissions than simply uploading a file in SharePoint?

Moving a file in SharePoint consists of two actions: copying the file to the destination and deleting it from the source library. Furthermore, a move action attempts to retain metadata and version history. This process often requires higher permission levels (like Edit or Delete) compared to uploading a brand-new file from a local desktop.

What are the essential base permissions required for a custom Add Only level to function?

To allow a user to navigate to a library and upload files, an Add Only level generally needs 'Add Items', 'View Items', 'Open Items', 'View Versions', 'View Application Pages', 'View Pages', and 'Open'. Without the view and open permissions, the user cannot access the library interface to perform the add action.

Can library column requirements cause an Access Denied error for Add Only users?

Yes. If a library contains custom columns that are marked as required, any uploaded file stays checked out to the uploader until those properties are filled. If the user only has 'Add' permissions and lacks the 'Edit Items' permission needed to update column metadata, the file upload process will fail or remain hidden, sometimes presenting as an Access Denied error.

Document & File Issues