# SharePoint versioning configuration tool

Standardize version history, retention, and check-out rules across every site and library in one task, not one library at a time.

## Configure SharePoint versioning settings in bulk, without touching every library

SharePoint versioning keeps a copy of a document every time it changes, so teams can track history and restore an earlier state when needed. Each version is a full copy of the file, not just the changed part, which is why version history is one of the biggest drivers of SharePoint storage growth. Document libraries default to keeping up to 500 major versions, and lists default to 50.

Getting these settings right, such as version type, retention limits, content approval, or check-out requirements, means you must open Library Settings on every single library or use PowerShell. You can manage site-level settings with commandlets such as `Set-SPOSite`, while tenant-wide defaults require tenant-level configuration, including `Set-SPOTenant`. Neither approach scales once you're managing dozens of libraries across multiple sites, site collections, or farms.

SharePoint Manager Plus provides [centralized management features](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-management-tool.html?utm_source=spmp-feature-page&utm_medium=sharepoint-versioning-settings&utm_content=body) that apply version history, retention, and access-control rules in bulk across on-premises SharePoint and SharePoint Online. It also includes scheduling controls, so settings stay consistent without repeated manual work.

## Key features that simplify versioning configuration

### Bulk configuration across farms and tenants

Apply the same versioning rules across on-premises farms and SharePoint Online tenants from one console instead of configuring each library manually.

![Selecting a SharePoint farm or tenant for a versioning settings task in SharePoint Manager Plus.](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/sharepoint-management-reporting/images/select-farm-tenant-versioning.png)

Figure 1: Selecting a SharePoint farm or tenant for a versioning settings task in SharePoint Manager Plus.

### Full control over major and minor versions

Configure major and minor versioning, then define how versions are retained by setting version count limits, draft limits, and activity-based expiration.

![Choosing document version history options in SharePoint Manager Plus.](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/sharepoint-management-reporting/images/document-version-history-options.png)

Figure 2: Choosing document version history options in SharePoint Manager Plus.

### Content approval and draft visibility controls

Configure content approval, control draft item visibility for readers, editors, or approvers, and require document check-out before editing, all alongside your versioning settings.

![Configuring content approval and draft item security in SharePoint Manager Plus.](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/sharepoint-management-reporting/images/content-approval-draft-security.png)

Figure 3: Configuring content approval and draft item security in SharePoint Manager Plus.

### Scheduled, recurring enforcement

Run configuration now or schedule it to run automatically, with email notification on completion, so versioning settings don't drift out of policy over time.

![Scheduling a versioning settings task with email notification in SharePoint Manager Plus.](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/sharepoint-management-reporting/images/schedule-versioning-settings-task.png)

Figure 4: Scheduling a versioning settings task with email notification in SharePoint Manager Plus.

## Common versioning configuration scenarios

### Standardizing settings after a migration

When you [migrate libraries](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-migration-tool.html?utm_source=spmp-feature-page&utm_medium=sharepoint-versioning-settings&utm_content=body) from another site, they often arrive with inconsistent or default versioning. Apply a single standard configuration across all of them in one task.

### Getting ahead of a storage quota

Set major version counts and define an automatic or manual time limit across libraries to control the growth that version history quietly causes.

### Enforcing governance policy tenant-wide

Roll out a required content-approval and check-out policy across every site rather than relying on individual site owners to configure it correctly.

### Keeping configuration consistent over time

Schedule the task to run periodically so new libraries and any manually changed settings are brought back in line automatically.

## How SharePoint Manager Plus compares with native SharePoint

| Capability | SharePoint Manager Plus | Native SharePoint (browser or PowerShell) |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk configuration across libraries | Apply settings to many libraries, sites, or tenants in one task. | Configured per library in the browser, or scripted per site in PowerShell. |
| Version type and retention limits | Set version type, time limit, and count limit together on one screen. | Set per library in Versioning Settings, or via `Set-SPOSite` for tenant defaults. |
| Content approval and draft security | Configure alongside versioning in the same task. | Set separately per library in Library Settings. |
| Scheduling | Run now or schedule recurring enforcement with email notification. | No built-in scheduling; recurring PowerShell runs need external triggers (e.g., Task Scheduler). |
| Setup and skill required | Point-and-click controls. | No setup for the browser; PowerShell needs modules, authentication, and scripting skill. |
| Environment coverage | SharePoint Online and on-premises (2019, 2016, 2013, and Subscription Edition). | Admin Center and several commandlets are SharePoint Online-oriented. |

## Benefits of managing versioning settings with SharePoint Manager Plus

- **Keep storage growth under control:** Standardize version limits and trimming rules across libraries, addressing one of the biggest drivers of SharePoint storage consumption.
- **Enforce governance consistently:** Apply content approval, draft visibility, and check-out rules the same way everywhere, instead of trusting each site owner to configure them correctly.
- **Work across every supported SharePoint environment:** Manage versioning settings for SharePoint Online and on-premises 2019, 2016, 2013, and Subscription Edition from a single console.
- **Reduce admin dependency:** Enable [technicians](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-helpdesk-delegation-tool.html?utm_source=spmp-feature-page&utm_medium=sharepoint-versioning-settings&utm_content=body) to configure versioning settings, modify permissions, and more, without elevating native privileges.

## How to configure versioning settings in SharePoint

Apply versioning settings across your environment in a few steps:

1. Navigate to **Management** > **Document Management** > **Versioning Settings**.
2. Under **Select Farm/Tenant**, choose your SharePoint farm or tenant to configure.
3. Enter a **Task Name**, and add a description if needed.
4. Under *Version Management and Retention*, set **Document Version History** to **No Versioning**, **Create major versions**, or **Create major and minor (draft) versions**.
5. Set a **Version time limit**, such as **No time limit**, **Automatic** (versions expire based on activity and file age), or **Manual** (delete versions older than a set number of days).
6. Set a **Version count limit** by entering the number of major versions to keep, and optionally enable **Keep drafts for the following number of major versions**.
7. Under *Content Visibility and Control,* choose whether to require content approval for submitted items, which users can see draft items in the library (any user who can read items, only users who can edit items, or only users who can approve items), and whether to require check-out before editing.
8. Under *Schedule Settings*, set **Operation Mode** to **Run Now** or **Schedule** for recurring enforcement, and optionally enable **Email Notification**.
9. Click **Apply**.

## Features that complement Versioning Settings

If you are managing SharePoint governance and document policy at scale, SharePoint Manager Plus provides several other features that complement the Versioning Settings tool:

- **[Clear Version History](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/delete-sharepoint-version-history.html?utm_source=spmp-feature-page&utm_medium=sharepoint-versioning-settings&utm_content=body):** Reclaim storage from the existing versions before new retention rules take effect, so trimming policies apply to a clean baseline.
- **[Check-In Documents](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-check-in-tool.html?utm_source=spmp-feature-page&utm_medium=sharepoint-versioning-settings&utm_content=body):** Release checked-out files across libraries, so a newly enforced check-out policy doesn't inherit stale locks from the old configuration.
- **[Edit Document Metadata](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/edit-document-metadata.html?utm_source=spmp-feature-page&utm_medium=sharepoint-versioning-settings&utm_content=body):** Populate approval and status columns across a library, so content approval workflows configured through Versioning Settings have the metadata they need to route documents correctly.
- **[Permission Management](https://www.manageengine.com/sharepoint-management-reporting/sharepoint-permission-management-tool.html?utm_source=me&utm_medium=wsite&utm_campaign=feature&utm_term=versioning-settings):** Pair versioning governance with permission audits to enforce a complete document control policy—who can access what, and how those changes are versioned and approved.

## Frequently asked questions

### 1. What is versioning in SharePoint?

SharePoint tracks a new version of a document each time it's saved, with document libraries defaulting to up to 500 major versions and lists to 50. Versioning is what lets you view or restore an earlier copy of a file, and you configure it through each library's Versioning Settings, or in bulk, through SharePoint Manager Plus.