SharePoint Online: View Only Permission Level Missing – Fix

Problem: “View Only” Permission level is missing on SharePoint Online site.

Solution: Activate “SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Collection features”

The “View Only” permission level allows users to view content and restrict Create/edit/download of documents from the site (documents can be opened in the browser, however). Have you ever needed to give someone view-only permissions on a SharePoint Online site or list and noticed that this permission level is missing from the SharePoint Online roles? Well, This is because the “SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Collection features” is not active! This feature is not active on Modern group sites, so the “View Only” permissions level is missing by default in SharePoint Online. Follow these steps to activate the feature:

1. Login to your SharePoint Online site collection as a site collection Administrator.
2. Click on Settings gear >> Site Information >> View all site settings.
3. Click on “Site Collection Features” under “Site Collection Administration”.
4. Click on the “Activate” button next to “SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Collection features”.
5. On the Site settings page, click on the “Manage site features” and activate the SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Collection features at the site level as well.

That’s all! Now you should see the “View Only” permission level on the site.