SharePoint List Export Permission

JuhnnieMer-8126 80 Reputation points
2026-01-15T10:58:50.2133333+00:00

Hello MS Support:

How do I give access to user to my SharePoint list so that the user can export the list into Excel. The user should not have access to create new items in the list or edit any fields; he only needs to export the list into excel for reporting purposes. Thanks

Microsoft 365 and Office | SharePoint | For business | Windows
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  1. Alina-Le 6,160 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-01-15T15:30:57.2033333+00:00

    Hello @JuhnnieMer-8126

    Welcome to Q&A forum!

    You can give a user permission to export a SharePoint list to Excel without allowing them to create or edit items. The key is using the Read permission level.

    Steps to Grant Read Access on a Single SharePoint List

    • Go to your SharePoint list
    • Click "Settings"  -> "List settings"
    • Under "Permissions and Management", select "Permissions for this list"
    • If you see “This list inherits permissions…” click "Stop Inheriting Permissions"
    • Click "Grant Permissions"
    • Enter the user’s name or email
    • Choose "Show Options"
    • Set permission level to "Read"
    • Click "Share"

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  1. Q&A Assist
    2026-01-15T10:58:58.96+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    To allow a user to export a SharePoint list to Excel without granting them permissions to create or edit items, you can assign them the "Read" permission level. This permission level allows users to view items in the list and export them without the ability to make changes.

    Here are the steps to set this up:

    1. Go to your SharePoint site and navigate to the list you want to manage permissions for.
    2. Click on the settings gear icon and select List settings.
    3. Under Permissions and Management, click on Permissions for this list.
    4. If the user is not already listed, click on Grant Permissions.
    5. Enter the user's name or email address.
    6. In the permissions settings, ensure you select the Read permission level for the user. This will allow them to view and export the list without editing or creating items.
    7. Click Share to apply the changes.

    By following these steps, the user will be able to export the list to Excel while having restricted access to modify the list items.


    References:

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