# How to check SharePoint permissions

In this article:

- [Objective](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-check-sharepoint-permissions.html#objective)
- [Method 1 (SharePoint Online)](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-check-sharepoint-permissions.html#method1)
- [Method 2 (PowerShell)](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-check-sharepoint-permissions.html#method2)
- [Method 3 (SharePoint Manager Plus)](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-check-sharepoint-permissions.html#method3)
- [Benefits of using SharePoint Manager Plus](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-check-sharepoint-permissions.html#benefits)
- [Related links and articles](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-check-sharepoint-permissions.html#related)

## Objective

Checking SharePoint site permissions is vital for security, compliance, and resolving access-related issues across your environment. This document outlines three methods to check permissions in SharePoint Online, helping you choose the approach that best fits your needs.

## Method 1: SharePoint Online browser UI

This method helps site owners and you quickly see which users and groups have access to a site or item and at what SharePoint permission level.

### Prerequisite

- You must have sufficient privileges, like *Site Owner, Site Collection Administrator, or SharePoint/Global Admin*.

### Steps to view SharePoint site permissions

1. Open the SharePoint site.
2. Select the **Settings** icon ![Settings Icon](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/images/icon-settings.png) and click **Site permissions**.
3. Review the default SharePoint groups (*Site owners, Site members*, and *Site visitors*), which are tied to standard SharePoint Online permission levels (like *Full Control, Edit,* and *Read*).
4. For more details, click **Advanced permissions settings** to access the classic permissions page.

![Viewing site permissions in the SharePoint Online browser UI](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/images/viewing-sharepoint-online-site-permissions.png)

### Steps to check item or library permissions

1. Navigate to the library or list containing the item.
2. Select the item and click the … (More options) menu.
3. Click **Details** and select **Manage access**.
4. Review the direct user permissions, groups, and links.
5. Click the ... (More options) menu and select **Advanced settings** to check if permissions are inherited or unique.

### Limitations of using the SharePoint Online browser UI

- It displays permissions per site or per item but does not provide a tenant-wide view or cross-site permission inventory out of the box.
- It requires specific admin roles and familiarity with the interface, which may not be ideal for all users.
- It's slow and error-prone when many sites, libraries, and items are involved or when inheritance is heavily customized.

## Method 2: Windows PowerShell

PowerShell lets you retrieve user and group permissions across SharePoint Online sites using PnP and SPO cmdlets.

### Prerequisites

- Install the SharePoint Online Management Shell or *Microsoft.Online.SharePoint.PowerShell* module.
- You must have sufficient privileges, like *Site Owner, Site Collection Administrator,* or *SharePoint/Global Admin*.

### Steps to follow

1. Connect to SharePoint Online with the admin URL:  
   ```
   Connect-SPOService -Url https://<tenant>-admin.sharepoint.com
   ```
2. Run the script below to retrieve user or group permissions for sites:  
   ```powershell
   Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://<tenant>.sharepoint.com/sites/<site-name>" -Interactive
   Get-PnPPrincipalPermission | Select PrincipalId, PrincipalType, RoleName, Scope
   Get-PnPPrincipalPermission | Where-Object { $_.Principal.Title -like "*<User-or-Group-Name>*" } | Select PrincipalId, PrincipalType, RoleName, Scope
   ```

### Limitations of using PowerShell

- Crafting and debugging scripts can be time-consuming for users who are less familiar with PowerShell.
- It requires specific admin roles and familiarity with the SharePoint Online Management Shell, which may not be ideal for all users.

## Method 3: SharePoint Manager Plus

SharePoint Manager Plus offers graphical, report-based visibility into SharePoint Online and on‑premises permissions. It helps you understand who has access to sites, libraries, and files, and highlights unique permissions and external sharing.

1. Navigate to **Reports** > **Microsoft 365** and select your preferred report from the **Permissions** category.
2. Choose the tenant, site, and click **Generate Now**.

![Generating the All Permissions report to view SharePoint Online site permissions using SharePoint Manager Plus](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/images/all-permissions-report.png)

**Note:** Check the **Fetch only unique permissions** box to view SharePoint objects that do no inherit permissions from its parent. Select **Export As** to export the report in your preferred formats.

## Benefits of using SharePoint Manager Plus to check SharePoint permissions

[SharePoint Manager Plus](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/), a unified SharePoint administration tool, helps you check user and group permissions on sites and other SharePoint objects with an easy-to-use GUI console.

- **Comprehensive permission reports:** Provides [prebuilt reports for site, file, and folder permissions](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-permission-reporting-tool.html), including unique permissions and broken inheritance, across SharePoint Online and on‑premises environments.
- **Detailed audit logging:** [Tracks permission changes over time](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-permission-auditing-tool.html) with detailed audit reports, showing who changed what, where, and when, which is crucial for security and compliance.
- **External sharing visibility:** Highlights [external sharing and anonymous links](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-permission-reporting-tool.html#external-sharing-access) so you can quickly identify where content is exposed outside the organization.
- **Automated alerts and scheduling:** Supports scheduled reporting and [email alerts for permission changes](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-email-alerts-tool.html), helping you maintain a strong security posture without constant manual checks.

## Related links and articles

- [SharePoint site permission types explained](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/sharepoint-site-permissions-and-types.html)
- [How to change permissions in SharePoint](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-change-group-permissions-in-sharepoint.html)
- [How to manage access in SharePoint folders](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-give-access-to-sharepoint-folder.html)
- [Copy or move permissions between users](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/sharepoint-copying-moving-permissions-between-users.html)
- [How to add a user to a SharePoint site](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/kb/how-to-add-users-in-sharepoint.html)

**Last updated on:** 2026/01/14