How to Make a SharePoint File Private? A Step By Step Guide

Are you searching for how to make a SharePoint file private? Irrespective of the type of data you are managing, SharePoint offers robust security. Due to this, SharePoint files can be public or private to enhance accessibility as per the requirement.

Changing permission of a file to a private looks complex but it is a straightforward process. Once you know the complete process, then you can easily make a SharePoint file private. In this guide, you will learn the complete steps to stop inheriting permissions and assigning unique permissions in detail. Let’s dive into it and find out how to enhance the security of the SharePoint files.

How to Make a SharePoint File Private - Quick Steps

Making a file private in SharePoint includes adjusting permissions. Let’s see how.

1. Navigate to the File

Open the SharePoint site and move to the document library where the file is stored. Now, click on the library to take a look at the files and folders. This is the initial step to make any file private.

2. Select the File

Now, choose the file that you want to secure. Hit on the ellipsis (...) option which is next to the file name. This opened menu shows several options for managing the file.

3. Manage Access

Open the "Manage access." to view all of the users and groups who can access the file.

4. Stop Inheriting Permissions

Now, break the Inheritance permissions using the below steps.

From the "Manage access" click on the "Advanced."

Now from the Advanced Permissions Settings page.

Click on the "Stop Inheriting Permissions" to break the permissions according to the parent library.

5. Remove Unwanted Permissions

After breaking the inheritance, take a look at the list of users and groups who can access it and remove unnecessary ones.

Select a name from the list.

Click on the"Remove User Permissions."

Confirm the action to complete the permissions removal of that file.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

There might be some issues that can occur while maintaining data privacy. Let’s discuss them along with their solutions in detail.

1. Permission Inheritance Issues

Issue: Users can grant access to unauthorized individuals by mistake because they are not aware of how inheritance works.

Solution: Just after breaking the inherited permissions of a file, always validate the updated permission settings using another account.

2. Delayed Updates After Modifying Permissions

Issue: Sometimes, the applied changes take time to reflect.

Solution: You should refresh the page or wait to apply the changes. If changes are delayed than the usual time then contact your administrator.

3. Insufficient Permission Rights to Change Settings

Issue: Users without having administrative permissions cannot modify the file permissions.

Solution: Ensure you have full control permissions to change the file permissions settings.

4. Broken Links After Applying Changes to Permissions

Issue: Modifying the permissions on the shared files can cause inconvenience for the users.

Solution: Do not forget to generate and share the new links with the users after making a file private.

Walk-Around

If you want to keep your SharePoint data safe and secure even after modifying the wrong settings. Then you can use the SysTools SharePoint Migration Solution. It is one of the best tools for performing SharePoint Online tenant to tenant migration. Using this tool, you can transfer all of the SharePoint data to another SharePoint account or merge two SharePoint sites. This tool offers several advanced features that simplify the migration process. It is not limited to the tech users only, even the non-technical users can also use this tool effortlessly.

Conclusion

Securing SharePoint files is crucial to maintaining data confidentiality. After knowing how to make a SharePoint file private, you can stop the inheriting permission and also remove the unwanted users.