Version History for Files in SharePoint
- Dan Jakubiak
The version history function in SharePoint allows you to view and restore the 500 latest versions of the file. SharePoint will save versions of a document when any of the following occurs:
What is version control / history?
When editing files in SharePoint, SharePoint will remember what the file was like before you saved it and also record the new changes you have made. With this “version” history, you can revert the file back to a previous state, say before someone unknowingly incorrectly edited the file.
A “version” is trigged when:
When a file is first created or uploaded
When the properties of a file are changed
When a Microsoft365 document is opened (Word, PPT, Excel, etc.)
Periodically when editing and saving Microsoft365 documents; not each individual edit or save will create new versions, especially when many occur in a short period of time.
When a new user opens the document
Version history works with all file types, including Microsoft365 files, PDFs, and images.
Viewing and Restoring Older Versions of SharePoint Files
From the desktop
Find the file on your computer.
Right-click on the file and choose OneDrive then Version history.
Click on the vertical ellipsis and choose Open. You may now save this version as a new file.
If you do not want to save this opened version, close the file without saving.
From a web browser
Navigate to s.uconn.edu/sharepoint and sign in with your UConn email address and NetID password.
Click on your SharePoint site, then click on Documents.
Locate the file you wish to restore to a previous version.
Click the vertical ellipsis.
Select Version history.
Previous versions will be listed in the bar to the right. Click the vertical ellipsis next to the desired version.
Select Open File to view the old version.
Select Restore to replace current version with the old version.