SharePoint access problems

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: SharePoint access problems. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Overview

SharePoint is used for team collaboration, document libraries, and intranet sites. This guide is designed for Australian small businesses to help diagnose and resolve common SharePoint access issues.

Quick Checks

1. Verify Your Sign‑In

1. Go to sharepoint.com. Note that this is the global SharePoint start page; Australian tenants may use regional URLs.
2. Ensure you are signed in with your work account.
3. If you are signed in with the wrong account, click your profile picture in the top right corner, select Sign out, then sign in with the correct account.

2. Check Site URL

1. Confirm you have the correct site address.
2. Typical format: https://yoursite.sharepoint.com/sites/sitename.
3. If unsure, ask the site owner for the correct link.

3. Check Microsoft 365 Service Health

1. Visit the Microsoft 365 Service health portal.
2. Look for any incidents or advisories affecting SharePoint.

Common Access Issues

"Access Denied" Error

What it means: You do not have permission to view the site.

Solutions:

1. Click Request access on the site.
2. Contact the site owner directly to be added. Do not request excessive permissions beyond what you need for your role.
3. Verify you are using the correct work account.

"We couldn't find the site"

What it means: The site does not exist, the URL is incorrect, or the site has been deleted.

Solutions:

1. Check the URL for typographical errors.
2. Search for the site from the SharePoint start page.
3. Ask the owner if the site has been deleted. Deleted sites may be recoverable from the SharePoint recycle bin by an administrator.

Site Loads But Content Missing

What it means: You have partial permissions or there are sync issues.

Solutions:

1. Clear your browser cache and refresh the page. See How to clear browser cache/cookies for detailed steps.
2. Confirm you are viewing the full site and not a filtered view.
3. Request full access from the site owner.

Authentication and Security Troubleshooting

Expired or Changed Passwords

If your password has recently changed, cached credentials may block access.

1. Sign out of all Microsoft 365 services.
2. Clear cached credentials in Windows Credential Manager (see Quick Checks).
3. Restart your browser and sign in again using your updated password.

Conditional Access Policies or MFA

Your organisation may use conditional access policies or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) that block access from certain locations or devices.

1. Ensure you complete any MFA prompt when signing in.
2. If you are travelling or using a new network, you may be blocked by a conditional access policy.
3. Contact your IT administrator to verify if your sign-in is being blocked by a conditional access policy.

Device Compliance or Intune Policies

Your organisation may require devices to be compliant with Intune policies before accessing SharePoint.

1. Ensure your device is enrolled in Intune if required by your organisation.
2. Check for any device compliance notifications in the Company Portal app.
3. Resolve any compliance issues (such as missing updates or missing encryption) before attempting to access SharePoint again.

External Sharing and Guest Users

If you are accessing a site shared from another organisation, or if you are a guest user:

1. Verify the external sharing invitation has not expired.
2. Ensure you are signing in with the email address that received the invitation.
3. Contact the site owner from the other organisation to renew access if your guest access has expired.

Browser Troubleshooting

Use Recommended Browser

• Best: Microsoft Edge
• Good: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox
• Limited: Apple Safari (may have limitations)

Clear Browser Cache

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
2. Select All time for the time range.
3. Check Cookies and Cached images and files.
4. Click Clear data.
5. Refresh the SharePoint page.

Try Private/Incognito Mode

1. Open a new incognito window (Ctrl + Shift + N).
2. Navigate to the SharePoint site.
3. If the site works, a browser extension may be causing the issue.

Device-Specific Fixes

Mobile Access

• Use the SharePoint mobile app (iOS/Android) for the best experience.
• Alternatively, use a mobile browser – Microsoft Edge is recommended.

OneDrive Sync for SharePoint Libraries

This section applies specifically to syncing SharePoint document libraries, not OneDrive personal files.

If a SharePoint library won’t sync:

1. Open the SharePoint site in your browser.
2. Navigate to the document library you want to sync.
3. Click Sync in the command bar.
4. Follow the prompts to sync the library locally using the OneDrive sync app.

For more detailed guidance, see OneDrive not syncing.

Licence and Organisational Policy Checks

Check Licence Assignment

Ensure your Microsoft 365 licence includes SharePoint access.

1. Ask your IT administrator to verify your licence assignment in the Microsoft 365 admin centre.
2. If your licence does not include SharePoint, it must be assigned before you can access sites.

Organisational Policy Restrictions

Your organisation may restrict access via organisational policies or geo-blocking.

1. Confirm with your IT administrator if there are any organisational policies blocking access from your location or device.
2. Check if geo-blocking is preventing access from your current network.

Permission Levels

Note: Custom permission levels may exist in your organisation. The groups above are the standard SharePoint defaults, but your site may use different names or custom roles.

Still Can’t Access?

When contacting IT support, include as much of the following information as possible:

• The exact SharePoint URL.
• The error message you are seeing.
• Your Microsoft 365 email address.
• Screenshots of the issue.
• Your device type and operating system version.
• Your browser name and version.
• The time and date the error occurred.
• The steps you have already tried to resolve the issue.

Open a Ticket

Still Having Issues?