SharePoint & Teams Collaboration
Checking Files In and Out
This guide explains the check-out feature in SharePoint — a way to lock a document so no one else can edit it while you are working on it — and when to use it instead of co-authoring.
Time needed
5 minutes
Platform
Microsoft 365
Guide steps
4 clear sections
Before you begin
You have edit access to a SharePoint document library.
Follow along
Step-by-step guide
Understand when to check out a file
- Instruction 1: Check-out is useful for documents with strict version control, complex formatting, or situations where you do not want partial edits to be visible to others while you are working.
- Instruction 2: For most everyday collaboration, co-authoring (see the previous guide) is preferred over check-out — it is simpler and allows real-time collaboration.
- Instruction 3: Use check-out when your organisation's policy requires it (some SharePoint libraries are configured to require check-out before editing).
Action map
Understand when to check out a file
- 01
Check-out is useful for documents with strict version control, complex formatting, or…
- 02
For most everyday collaboration, co-authoring (see the previous guide) is preferred over…
- 03
Use check-out when your organisation's policy requires it (some SharePoint libraries are…
Visual guide
Use this visual action map alongside the written instructions above.
Open SharePoint help & learning for Checking Files In and OutCheck out a document
- Instruction 1: Go to the SharePoint library in your browser.
- Instruction 2: Click the three-dot menu (…) next to the file name.
- Instruction 3: Click Check out. A small arrow icon will appear next to the file name showing it is checked out.
- Instruction 4: Open and edit the file. While it is checked out, other users can only open a read-only version.
Check in a document when finished
- Instruction 1: Once you have finished your edits, save and close the file.
- Instruction 2: Go back to the SharePoint library in your browser.
- Instruction 3: Click the three-dot menu next to the file name.
- Instruction 4: Click Check in.
- Instruction 5: Optionally add a version comment describing your changes, then click Check in.
- Instruction 6: The file is now available for others to edit.
Discard a check-out (undo check-out)
- Instruction 1: If you checked out a file by mistake and made no changes, click the three-dot menu next to the file and click Discard check out.
- Instruction 2: This releases the lock without saving any changes. The file returns to the last checked-in version.
Quick fixes
Troubleshooting
A file is checked out by someone else and I need to edit it
Contact the person who has it checked out and ask them to check it in. If they are unavailable, a SharePoint site administrator can force-check-in the file. Contact the helpdesk with the file name and site URL.
I forgot to check in a file and I am now out of the office
Contact the helpdesk and provide the file name and the SharePoint site URL. An administrator can perform a force check-in on your behalf.
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