SharePoint list

Kathie Brinkman 100 Reputation points
2026-10-06T20:46:26.8933333+00:00

We have a SharePoint set up for our marketing dept. They use two MC lists in the site. They want to allow a new member to have limited access to editing one of the lists, but not the other. Is there a way to set permissions like this?

Microsoft 365 and Office | SharePoint | For business | Other
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Ivory 2,065 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-10-06T20:58:33.8733333+00:00

Hi Kathie,

Yes, this is possible. SharePoint allows permissions to be configured at the individual list level. By default, lists inherit permissions from the parent site, but you can create unique permissions for a specific list and grant a user access to that list only, without giving them access to other lists on the same site.

To achieve this:

  1. Open the list the new member should be able to edit.
  2. Go to Settings > List settings.
  3. Select Permissions for this list.

User's image

  1. Choose Stop Inheriting Permissions.

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  1. Grant the user the appropriate permission level (typically Contribute or Edit).

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  1. Enter the people or groups, select Show options, and choose the permission level. Clear Send an email invitation if you don’t want to notify them. Granting access to a group, such as a Microsoft 365 group or a security group, is far easier to manage than adding people one by one:

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  1. Select Share

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  1. The person now appears on the permissions page with the level you chose:

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  1. Then remove anyone who shouldn’t have access; breaking inheritance copies the site’s groups, including Visitors.
  2. Ensure the user is not granted permissions to the other list.

For most scenarios, Contribute is recommended as it allows users to add, edit, and delete list items without modifying the list's structure or settings.

For reference:

Understanding permission levels in SharePoint - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn

Customize permissions for a SharePoint list or library | Microsoft Support

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Answer accepted by question author

AI answer

2026-10-06T20:46:43.9433333+00:00

Yes. SharePoint supports giving a user access to one list without giving the same access to another list by using unique permissions on that list.

A practical way to do it:

  1. Open the list the new member should be able to edit.
  2. Go to Settings > List settings.
  3. Under Permissions and Management, select Permissions for this list.
  4. Stop inheriting permissions for that list so it no longer follows the parent site permissions.
  5. Use Grant Permissions to add the new member.
  6. Choose the permission level needed:
    • Can edit items if the member should only edit, add, or remove items.
    • Can view if view-only access is needed.
    • If assigning from the Permissions page, the default is Edit, but it can be changed to Read or another available level.

Important points:

  • By default, lists inherit permissions from the parent site, so both lists usually follow the same site access until inheritance is broken.
  • Only the list that needs different access should have inheritance broken. The other list can keep its existing permissions.
  • Sharing a list requires the manage permissions permission. By default, that usually means site owners or list owners.
  • SharePoint recommends using built-in SharePoint groups where possible for easier administration.

If the goal is limited access to only one list, this is the supported approach.

References:

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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