How to Manage Access to Document Library in SharePoint

Today we will learn how to manage access to a document library in SharePoint. This is a simple but very useful class for beginners, team leads, and system users who work with shared documents daily. In this lesson, we will understand how to grant access, restrict permissions, and manage folders department-wise without affecting the full library.

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What Are SharePoint Folder Permissions

SharePoint folder permissions control who can access specific folders or files inside a document library.

By default, folders inherit permissions from the parent library. You can break this inheritance to give department-wise or user-specific access without affecting other folders.

Common permission levels include:

• View only

• Edit and view

• Restricted access such as no download

Step-by-Step: Manage Access in a SharePoint Document Library

Follow these steps exactly as shown in the class.

Step 1: Open the Document Library

• Go to your SharePoint site

• Open the required document library

• Click See all to view all folders and files

Step 2: Open Manage Access

• Right-click on the folder or file

• Select Manage access

• A panel opens showing existing users and their permission levels

You will see:

• Users with view access

• Users with edit access

Grant Access to a Folder or File

Step 3: Grant Access

• Click the Grant access icon at the top

• Add the user or group

• Choose permission level

  • Can edit

  • Can view

  • Cannot download

Once saved, access is granted immediately.

Verify Permissions

Step 4: Confirm Access

• Left-click the same folder

• Open Manage access again

• You will now see the newly added user with the assigned permission

This is the easiest way to double-check access.

Remove or Restrict Access

Step 5: Remove Access

• Open Manage access

• Click on the user

• Select Remove direct access

The user is instantly removed from that folder.

This method is commonly used to manage access department-wise.

SharePoint Permission Inheritance Explained

By default, folders inherit permissions from the document library.

When you assign unique access:

• Inheritance is broken for that folder only

• Other folders remain unchanged

This helps when:

• Finance documents need restricted access

• HR folders must stay private

• Project folders require limited team access

Can You Set Permissions on Individual Files

Yes, SharePoint allows permissions on individual files.

However:

• Use file-level permissions only when necessary

• Too many unique permissions make management difficult

Folder-level permissions are recommended for clean governance.

Common Issues with Folder Permissions

Some frequent problems users face:

• Users see files they should not access

• Permissions stop working due to inheritance conflicts

• Too many unique permissions slow management

Best practice is to keep permissions simple and documented.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are SharePoint folder permissions

They control who can view, edit, or download content inside a specific folder.

Q. How do I limit access to a folder in SharePoint

Break permission inheritance and grant access only to selected users.

Q. How to make a SharePoint document accessible to everyone

Grant view access to the Everyone or Members group.

Q. Can I grant folder access to external users

Yes, if external sharing is enabled by the SharePoint admin.

Q. How do I audit SharePoint folder permissions

Use permission reports or third-party tools like ShareGate for centralized visibility.

Why Proper Access Management Matters

Correct permission management:

• Prevents data leaks

• Improves collaboration

• Keeps departments organized

• Reduces compliance risks

Even a simple document library becomes powerful when access is controlled properly.

So what do we learn?

Today we learned how to manage document library access in SharePoint by granting permissions, editing access, and removing users when required. These small steps help keep documents secure and collaboration organized. In our next class, we will explore another practical Microsoft topic. See you in the next session.