SharePoint & Teams Collaboration
Understanding Document Version Control
This guide explains how version control works in SharePoint and OneDrive, so you can confidently make changes to documents knowing you can always go back to an earlier version.
Time needed
5 minutes to read, 5 minutes to practise
Platform
Microsoft 365
Guide steps
3 clear sections
Before you begin
Access to a file in SharePoint or OneDrive.
Follow along
Step-by-step guide
Understand how versioning works
- Instruction 1: Every time you save a file stored in SharePoint or OneDrive, Microsoft 365 automatically saves a copy of the previous version in the file's version history.
- Instruction 2: By default, SharePoint keeps up to 500 major versions of each file. Your IT team may have customised this number.
- Instruction 3: Each version is stamped with the date, time, and the name of the person who saved it.
- Instruction 4: This means if a file is accidentally deleted, overwritten, or corrupted, you can restore an older version without losing all your work.
Action map
Understand how versioning works
- 01
Every time you save a file stored in SharePoint or OneDrive, Microsoft 365 automatically…
- 02
By default, SharePoint keeps up to 500 major versions of each file. Your IT team may…
- 03
Each version is stamped with the date, time, and the name of the person who saved it.
Visual guide
Use this visual action map alongside the written instructions above.
Open SharePoint help & learning for Understanding Document Version ControlView and restore a previous version
- Instruction 1: Open the SharePoint library in your browser.
- Instruction 2: Click the three-dot menu (…) next to the file name.
- Instruction 3: Click Version history.
- Instruction 4: A panel opens on the right showing all saved versions, with the most recent at the top.
- Instruction 5: Click a version number to open a read-only preview of that version.
- Instruction 6: To restore it, click the three-dot menu next to that version and click Restore.
- Instruction 7: The old version becomes the new current version. The version you just replaced is saved as a version entry, so nothing is permanently lost.
Use version history in the Office desktop apps
- Instruction 1: With a Word or Excel file open, click File > Info.
- Instruction 2: Under Manage Document (Word) or Manage Workbook (Excel), you will see a list of auto-saved versions.
- Instruction 3: Click a version to preview it in a read-only window.
- Instruction 4: Click Restore if you want to roll back to that version.
Quick fixes
Troubleshooting
Version history is empty or only shows one version
Versioning may not be enabled on that library, or the file was just uploaded (not edited in M365 apps). For SharePoint libraries, versioning is usually on by default. Contact the helpdesk if you need to enable it.
I accidentally restored the wrong version
Do not worry — the restoration is itself saved as a new version. Open version history again, find the version before your accidental restore, and restore that one.
Still need a hand?
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