Remove Export to Excel from a SharePoint list

Question

Recently I wrote to ask for help with this because we have a PowerAutomate flow on a list for leave requests. We have the permissions set to block people from looking at other coworker's requests.

What I have found is that the Export to Excel allows them to export everyone's requests regardless of the permissions. Someone helped me with this and it got me most of the way there, but not quite.

She recommended setting up a special group and for that group turning off Client Integration Features off. I did that and that kind of works, it works if you are selecting an item to export, that hides the export button, but it is there for the whole list and you can just export the whole list and see everyone's requests.

Is there anything else I can try to fix this issue?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tracy

PS - for Version, this is a Government account GS5 I think.

Answer 1

Hi Tracy,

The option of setting up a special group and for that group turning off Client Integration Features off works for the entire list, I tested this on my end to confirm.

Please allow me to explain; you mentioned “I did that and that kind of works, it works if you are selecting an item to export, that hides the export button”, the Export button is not visible if you are selecting a single item in the first place, so I am not sure how you were seeing Export to Excel button before setting up the permission.

Here’re some screenshots for reference:

If I select a specific item, the Export button disappear.

If I am not selecting anything, Export button re-appears.

The above screenshots were taken from an account which has edit permission on the site.

Now, for the test purpose, I created a custom permission level without client integration features. Please check if you have followed the same steps below:  

1. Click on Settings Gear > Choose the “Site Permissions” link.
2. “Advanced permissions settings” > Click on “Permission Levels” from the ribbon.
3. Select an existing permission level such as Contribute >> Scroll to the bottom of the page >> Click on the “Copy Permission level” button.
4. Provide a name to your new permission level. E.g., “Contribute without Client Integration”. Under “Site Permissions”, uncheck “Use Client Integration Features – Use features which launch client applications. Without this permission, users will have to work on documents locally and upload their changes.” and click on “Create” button to create the permission level.

Assign this custom permission level to users and groups who don’t need the “Export to Excel” option.

Any user or group with the above permission level won’t get the “Export to Excel” button in SharePoint Online modern lists and libraries. Please note this disable other client integration features as well, such as “Open in File Explorer”, “Edit in App”, etc**.**

This is how the list appears on the user’s side who I have assigned custom permission.

![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/079c97e2-8a2b-4f3e-8efe-b41b4f406f18?platform=QnA