Changing default member permissions on Teams/SharePoint

Question

Changing default member permissions on Teams/SharePoint

Anonymous

We are wanting to give everyone Read Only permissions on SharePoint when they come into our company. Upon creation of our "Official Team" in MS Teams, a group was created called "Members". The default permission for this group is Edit and I have been needing to change each site permission individually to ensure they have read only.

I have now created a "Read Only" (*No download option) for standard users and am wanting to delete the Members group entirely. If I do this, would that completely erase the Team that we've been using as well? Is there a way to give this entire group the Read Only permission instead of Edit by default? I don't mind deleting the group and giving permissions to the new Read Only group I created on each site. Both are linked to our AAD and work within the SharePoint environment, it's just been a hassle to deal with the default Member group.

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Answer 1

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out. My name is Furkaan, a user just like you. I’d be happy to help you with your concerns. Here's the breakdown of your situation and the best course of action:

Default Permissions:

Modifying the default "Members" group permission in Teams isn't directly possible. Microsoft discourages changing it to avoid unintended consequences. Recommended Approach:

Keep "Members" Group: Instead of deleting it, you can manage permissions effectively without affecting your existing Team.

Create "Read-Only" Group: You've already created a "Read Only" group, which is perfect.

Assign Permissions:

New Users: Add new users to the "Read Only" group by default. This ensures they have read-only access on SharePoint sites connected to your Team. Existing Users: Here are two options: Manual Update (One-Time): Update permissions on existing SharePoint sites connected to the Team. Remove "Members" from permissions and add the "Read Only" group with read-only access. This can be time-consuming for many sites. Future Users: Moving forward, don't add new users directly to the Team. Instead, add them to the "Read Only" group directly. This automatically grants them read-only access on connected SharePoint sites. Deleting "Members" Group:

Don't Delete: Deleting the "Members" group will not erase your Team, but it can cause access issues for existing members. They might lose editing permissions if not assigned to another group with appropriate permissions. Addressing the Hassle:

Automate (If Applicable): If you frequently create Teams, consider using Microsoft Teams provisioning tools. These tools can automate permission settings during Team creation, including assigning users to the "Read Only" group by default.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Give back to the Community. Help the next person who has this issue by indicating if this reply solved your problem. Click Yes or No below. Best Regards, Furkaan

Answer 2

Hi Krista!

I ran into the same issue, but there is a quick remedy. If you click on the other group you have created, you can make it the default group under the settings tab. Once the new group is set as default, you can then edit the permission level of the "Member" group. Let me know if you need further clarification!

Answer 3

Hi! I've been searching for the answer to a similar question.

Furkaan, you say above to "Edit User Permissions" for the "Members" group. But with every SharePoint Team Site I create, default groups / permissions are created as follows:

Owners / Full Control
Members / Edit
Visitors / Read

I would LOVE to be able to change the permissions for the Members group from Edit to Contribute, but I don't see a way to do it. "Edit User Permissions" is greyed out for these 3 groups.

We want SP Team Site Members to be able to see the Site and add/edit/delete/etc List items and Library files/columns, but we do NOT want Members to be able to edit the Site or add/delete Lists or Libraries. I have full SharePoint Administrator permissions. Any guidance here is appreciated!

~ Krista

Answer 4

Hi,

You're absolutely right. The default "Members" group likely has higher permission inheritance compared to your "Read Only" group. Here's how to address the download access and the seemingly unremovable "Members" group permission:

Download Permissions in "Read Only" Group:

Check "Read Only" Settings: Double-check the permission settings you assigned to the "Read Only" group. Ensure the "Download" box is unchecked under "Basic Permissions."

Break Inheritance (if necessary): If the SharePoint site inherits permissions from a parent site, you might need to break inheritance before modifying permissions on the specific site. This allows you to manage permissions independently.

Search for "Break inheritance" instructions specific to your SharePoint version. Generally, it involves going to "Site settings" -> "Permissions" -> "Advanced permissions settings" and then selecting "Break Inheritance." "Members" Group Permission:

While you can't directly remove the "Members" group, you can effectively block their edit and download access by setting lower permissions for them:

Change "Members" Permission: Go to the "Site permissions" page as mentioned earlier.

Select "Members" Group: Find the "Members" group in the list.

Reduce Permissions: Click on "Edit User Permissions". Uncheck the boxes for "Edit" and "Download" permissions. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Important Note: Before making these permission changes, it's wise to back up your SharePoint site or create a test site to experiment on. This ensures you don't accidentally restrict access for users who need editing capabilities.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Give back to the Community. Help the next person who has this issue by indicating if this reply solved your problem. Click Yes or No below. Best Regards, Furkaan

Answer 5

Hi Furkaan,

Thank you for your rapid response! I have set the Read Only group as the default group per your recommendation! The Read Only should not have access to download docs but the test account I'm playing with is still able to download. I think the Default Member group is somehow "ranked" higher than the Read Only group and is being seen as the overarching permission. When you say, "Remove "Members" from permissions and add the "Read Only" group with read-only access.", how do you go about removing the Members permission without deleting the group?

*When I select the group, the option is grayed out to remove permissions.

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Changing default member permissions on Teams/SharePoint

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