Data Protection Issues

How to Apply Microsoft Purview Retention Labels to Multiple SharePoint Folders

Khadija Khan Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to apply a Microsoft Purview retention label to several SharePoint folders simultaneously rather than configuring them one by one.

How to Apply Microsoft Purview Retention Labels to Multiple SharePoint Folders

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing data compliance and applying data protection retention policies across a SharePoint document library.
Observed behavior: The user wants a bulk application method for retention labels but may encounter issues where the 'Apply Label' option disappears during multi-selection.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary compliance and site permissions (such as Site Admin or Compliance Administrator rights) to apply retention labels within the target SharePoint document library.

Solution 1Recommended

Apply Retention Labels via the SharePoint Details Pane

The standard method to apply retention labels to multiple folders using SharePoint's multi-selection feature.

Microsoft Purview allows you to categorize and protect data by applying retention labels. You can apply these labels to multiple folders simultaneously directly from your SharePoint document library interface.

Select multiple folders

Navigate to your SharePoint document library and check the circular selection boxes next to the multiple folders you want to label.

Open the Details pane

Click on the 'i' (Information) icon in the upper right corner of the SharePoint interface to open the Details pane.

Choose the retention label

Scroll down to the 'Apply label' section in the Details pane, select your required Microsoft Purview retention label from the dropdown menu, and click 'Save'.

Apply Retention Labels via the SharePoint Details Pane

Inheritance: All documents currently inside the selected folders, as well as any future documents added to them, will automatically inherit the applied retention label.

Solution 2

Workaround When Apply Label is Unavailable for Multi-Selection

Use this sequential selection method if the 'Apply Label' option disappears when you select multiple folders at once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the retention label option greyed out or missing in SharePoint?

The retention label option may be greyed out if you lack the necessary compliance permissions, if the label hasn't been published to your specific SharePoint site by your administrator, or if a site-level retention policy overrides manual labeling.

Do retention labels applied to a folder affect its contents?

Yes, when a Microsoft Purview retention label is applied to a SharePoint folder, all documents currently inside that folder—and any new documents uploaded or created there later—will automatically inherit that folder's retention label.

Can I apply different retention labels to specific files within a labeled folder?

Yes, you can manually apply a different retention label to a specific file inside a labeled folder. The manually applied file-level label will take precedence over the inherited folder-level label.

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