Forum Discussion
Restrict users from Deletion
There is no SharePoint default permission level which allows add/edit but not delete existing files.
Workaround:
You need to create a custom Permission level in SharePoint. This will be a copy of your existing permission level minus Delete Items permission. Follow below steps to achieve this:
- Click Site settings > (Go to top level site settings) > Users and Permissions > Site permissions.
- Click Permission Level, and we can customize a new permission level based on the existing ones.
- Open the Edit permission level, and click Copy Permission Level on the bottom.
- Give the name for the new permission level, and uncheck the Delete Items options. You can also remove other permissions that are unnecessary, such as Delete Versions.
- Click Create to create the permission level.
- Use this permission level to assign the permissions to users
Reference: SharePoint online site permissions add but not delete
Please click Mark as Best Response if my post helped you to solve your issue. This will help others to find the correct solution easily. It also closes the item. If the post was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Like.
There is no SharePoint default permission level which allows add/edit but not delete existing files.
Workaround:
You need to create a custom Permission level in SharePoint. This will be a copy of your existing permission level minus Delete Items permission. Follow below steps to achieve this:
- Click Site settings > (Go to top level site settings) > Users and Permissions > Site permissions.
- Click Permission Level, and we can customize a new permission level based on the existing ones.
- Open the Edit permission level, and click Copy Permission Level on the bottom.
- Give the name for the new permission level, and uncheck the Delete Items options. You can also remove other permissions that are unnecessary, such as Delete Versions.
- Click Create to create the permission level.
- Use this permission level to assign the permissions to users
Reference: SharePoint online site permissions add but not delete
Please click Mark as Best Response if my post helped you to solve your issue. This will help others to find the correct solution easily. It also closes the item. If the post was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Like.
ganeshsanap These instructions are not correct or helpful at all.
pweber1185 Do you know any other way to achieve what OP asked for? If yes, you can shared it with community members here.
You have to create a custom permission level for this requirements. Steps might not be accurate based on which experience you are using (modern or classic).
You can go to advanced permissions settings page of site collection using URL in below format and create a new permission level as per your requirements and then use it to grant permissions to groups/users:
https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/siteName/_layouts/15/user.aspxPlease consider giving Like if my post helped you in any way.
pweber1185 wrote:ganeshsanap These instructions are not correct or helpful at all.
No, this is exactly what you will need to do.
As ganeshsanap explained:
Create a new Custom Permission Level and remove the "Delete Items" / "Delete Versions" Permission from the level.
Assign that permission level to every user
The effect is that users can edit/create Documents in that Document Library, but are not able to delete them.
Keep in mind that users can still edit documents and Site Pages containing webparts are also just documents (and the permission level does not keep you from i.e. removing chapters from a word Document).
Also keep in mind that Site Collection Administrators are not affected by permission levels and will still have delete-permissions.
If you want to have a solution that even prohibits site collection administrators from deleting files or if you want to use the solution on more than one site collection (or your whole tenant), you should take a look at Retention Labels
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/retention-policies-sharepoint?view=o365-worldwide
https://compliance.microsoft.com/informationgovernance?viewid=retention
But this is can only tenant-wide be done by an administrator.
