Forum Discussion

Ant_PFR_1973

Copper Contributor

Jul 23, 2025

Blocking Downloads in Purview

Hi guys, hoping someone can help out with this : is there a away to block the download of sensitive documents in Purview? ; e:g, you've created a Highly Confidential sensitivity label and as part of ...

VasilMichev

MVP

Jul 25, 2025

Is the label applied on individual items or on the site/library level? For the former, use a DLP policy that checks for the presence of the label and blocks (external) access: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/dlp-sensitivity-label-as-condition

While technically not the same thing as "block download", it is the best you can do for per-item labels.

For the latter, you can configure this restriction on the label itself. See for example: https://office365itpros.com/2024/12/12/block-download-policy-labels/

Ant_PFR_1973

Copper Contributor

Jul 28, 2025

Thanks Vasil !.the label is being applied at the item level ...however there may be instances where we apply at the site/library level also

regards

Ant

duliprb
MCT
Aug 03, 2025
Hi Ant_PFR_1973, Greetings, you can indeed block SharePoint/Onedrive downloads from policy level. If your prime goal to protect your data, then, you can use Purview Encryption Controls available under Sensitivity Label configurations. Here is the Guide for Sharepoint Blocks. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/block-download-from-sites. From Sensitivity point of view, you can block downloads based on Contents with Purview. Defender for Cloud apps help you to create scenario wise blocks with Downloads. You simply have to create a rule to block downloads based on SIT or other data types used.