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ashmelburnian's avatar
ashmelburnian
Brass Contributor
Jul 16, 2019
Solved

Disable document library sync button

We had a situation where an end user accidentally deleted thousands for files under a SharePoint document library via OneDrive.

 

The document library itself is accessible to everyone within the company.

 

Is it possible to disable/remove the Sync button within a document library at the root level, only allowing subfolders to be synced?

 

  • Hi ashmelburnian - you can disable sync for the entire library in library settings > toggle 'allow items to be downloaded to offline clients' to no. If you don't want to turn off sync for the entire library, but need to prevent accidental deletion, set users permissions to Read at the top level of the library. Then for subfolders, grant Contribute level.

     

    As far as I know, there's no ability to allow/disallow sync at sub-folder levels, just the SharePoint permission levels.

     

     

  • Rob Ellis's avatar
    Rob Ellis
    Bronze Contributor
    Not really answering your actual question - but I wonder whether it might be better to split the contents of that single document library into multiple libraries (perhaps in multiple SharePoint sites), and / or whether it is necessary or appropriate for everyone in the company to have the access to the whole of the existing library.
  • Kelly_Edinger's avatar
    Kelly_Edinger
    Bronze Contributor

    Hi ashmelburnian - you can disable sync for the entire library in library settings > toggle 'allow items to be downloaded to offline clients' to no. If you don't want to turn off sync for the entire library, but need to prevent accidental deletion, set users permissions to Read at the top level of the library. Then for subfolders, grant Contribute level.

     

    As far as I know, there's no ability to allow/disallow sync at sub-folder levels, just the SharePoint permission levels.

     

     

    • ashmelburnian's avatar
      ashmelburnian
      Brass Contributor

      Kelly_EdingerThanks for the quick reply.

       


      Kelly_Edinger wrote:

       set users permissions to Read at the top level of the library. Then for subfolders, grant Contribute level.


      Would this be just one permissions settings change at the top level (apply to this folder only), without affecting the current permissions on the subfolders?

       

      • Kelly_Edinger's avatar
        Kelly_Edinger
        Bronze Contributor

        Hi ashmelburnian - it depends. if the sub-folders are already set to not inherit permissions from the parent library, then no. You can change the library permissions to read-only. However, if the sub-folders still inherit permissions from the library, once read is set for the library itself, you'll need to hit each sub-folder and adjust its permissions.

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