“I accidentally deleted the entire list.”
If you are a SharePoint Site Owner, this is the phone call you dread. Usually, the response is: “How did they even have permission to do that?”
The answer is almost always the default “Edit” permission level.
The Default Danger
When you add a user to the default “Member” group of a SharePoint site, they are given Edit permission.
Most people assume “Edit” just means “Start editing this Word document.”
It means much more than that.
Edit Permission Allows:
- Add, edit, and delete items (Good).
- Add, edit, and delete Lists and Libraries (Bad!).
- Manage site lists (Bad!).
Yes, a user with “Edit” permission can go to Site Contents, hover over your critical “Client Data” list, and click Delete. And it’s gone.
The Safer Alternative: Contribute
Hidden slightly deeper in the permissions menu is the “Contribute” level.
This was the default for Members in older versions of SharePoint (2010/2013), but Microsoft changed it to “Edit” in modern Team Sites to allow users to create Planner plans and News posts.
Contribute Permission Allows:
- Add, edit, and delete items and documents.
- CANNOT delete the list itself.
- CANNOT change library settings.
When to use which?
Use “Edit” for:
- Site Owners: Obviously.
- Team Leaders: Who need to create new channels or Planner buckets.
- Content Managers: Who reorganize folder structures.
Use “Contribute” for:
- Everyone Else: The intern, the external contractor, the general staff member.
How to Check Permissions
- Go to your SharePoint Site -> Settings (Gear icon) -> Site permissions.
- Click Advanced permissions settings.
- Click Permission Levels in the ribbon.
- Click on Edit to see exactly what is checked.
- Click on Contribute to see the difference.
Pro Tip: Create a custom permission level called “Contribute w/o Delete”.
Copy the standard “Contribute” level, but uncheck “Delete Items.” This is perfect for archive libraries where users should add files but never remove them.