SharePoint document libraries track changes by saving versions of files. By default, many libraries only store major versions. You want to enable both major and minor versions so that draft edits are saved without replacing the published version. This gives editors a safe space to work and reviewers a clear view of the final document. This guide explains how to turn on major and minor versions in SharePoint through the library settings and the SharePoint admin center.
Key Takeaways: Enable Major and Minor Versioning in SharePoint
- Library Settings > Versioning Settings: Turn on both major and minor versions and set draft item security.
- SharePoint admin center > Active sites > Settings: Set site-level versioning limits for all libraries.
- Require Check Out: Enforce checkout before editing to ensure minor versions are used correctly.
What Are Major and Minor Versions in SharePoint
Major versions are numbered 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and represent published or approved snapshots visible to all users with read access. Minor versions are numbered 0.1, 0.2, 1.1, 1.2 and represent draft edits visible only to the editor and users with permission to view draft items. When you enable both version types, every save creates a minor version until the user publishes the file, which creates a new major version.
The feature is available in SharePoint Online and SharePoint Server 2013 and later. In SharePoint Online, versioning is on by default for new document libraries but only stores major versions. You must manually enable minor versions. The version history count limit in SharePoint Online is 500 major versions per file. You cannot reduce this limit below 100 through the UI, but you can set a lower limit using PowerShell.
Prerequisites
To change versioning settings, you need at least Edit permissions on the library or site. Site owners and site collection administrators can modify versioning settings. For site-level versioning limits, you need SharePoint admin access.
Steps to Turn On Major and Minor Versions in a SharePoint Library
- Open the Document Library
Go to the SharePoint site that contains the library. Select the library from the left navigation or the site contents page. - Access Library Settings
Click the gear icon in the top right and select Library settings. If you do not see this option, you might not have owner permissions. In that case, ask the site owner to perform these steps. - Open Versioning Settings
Under the General Settings section, click Versioning settings. - Enable Major and Minor Versions
In the Content Approval section, select Yes for Require content approval for submitted items. This step is necessary to enable minor versions. Then in the Document Version History section, select Create major and minor (draft) versions. - Set Draft Item Security
Choose who can view draft items: Any user who can read items, Only users who can edit items, or Only users who can approve items. The default is Only users who can edit items, which prevents readers from seeing minor versions. - Set Version Limits
Under Draft Version History, set the number of major versions to keep. The default is 500. Check Keep drafts for the following number of major versions and set a value, such as 10. This limits how many minor versions are kept per major version. - Click OK
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click OK to save the settings. The library now tracks both major and minor versions.
Require Check Out for Better Control
To prevent multiple users from editing the same file at the same time, you can require check out. In the same Versioning settings page, under Require Check Out, select Yes. Users must check out a file before editing it. When they save, a minor version is created. When they check in, they can publish a major version or keep it as a draft. This workflow reduces merge conflicts and lost edits.
Set Site-Level Versioning Limits in the SharePoint Admin Center
- Sign In to the SharePoint Admin Center
Open a browser and go to https://admin.microsoft.com. Sign in with a SharePoint admin account. - Open the SharePoint Admin Center
In the Microsoft 365 admin center, select Admin centers > SharePoint. Alternatively, go directly to https://admin.microsoft.com/SharePoint. - Select Active Sites
In the left navigation, click Active sites. A list of all SharePoint sites appears. - Choose a Site
Click the name of the site that contains the library. A details panel opens. - Open Settings
In the details panel, click the Settings tab. - Set Versioning Limits
Scroll to the Versioning Limits section. Enter the maximum number of major versions to keep. The value can be from 100 to 50000. Click Save. - Apply the Setting
This setting applies to all document libraries on the site. Individual library versioning settings override this limit only if they are set to a lower number. If the library setting is higher than the site limit, the site limit takes effect.
Common Issues and Things to Avoid
Minor Versions Are Not Showing After Enabling
If you enable minor versions but users still see only major versions in the version history, check that content approval is also enabled. Minor versions require content approval to be turned on. Go back to the Versioning settings and ensure Require content approval for submitted items is set to Yes.
Users Cannot See Drafts
Draft item security controls who can view minor versions. If users report that they cannot see draft files, check the Draft Item Security setting. Change it to Any user who can read items if you want all readers to see drafts. Be aware that this exposes unfinished work.
Version Count Exceeds the Limit
SharePoint automatically deletes the oldest major version when the limit is reached. This is a rolling deletion. You cannot recover deleted versions. To avoid losing important historical versions, set a limit that matches your retention policy. If you need to keep more than 500 versions, use the SharePoint admin center to increase the site-level limit.
PowerShell for Advanced Versioning Limits
To set a version limit below 100, use SharePoint Online Management Shell. Run the command Set-SPOSite -Identity . Replace <site-url> with the site URL and <number> with a value from 1 to 50000. This requires the SharePoint Online Management Shell module installed.
Major vs Minor Versioning: Comparison
| Item | Major Versions Only | Major and Minor Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Each save creates a published version visible to all readers | Draft saves create minor versions; publishing creates a major version |
| Version numbering | 1, 2, 3 | 0.1, 0.2, 1.0, 1.1 |
| Content approval required | No | Yes |
| Draft visibility control | Not applicable | Three levels: readers, editors, or approvers |
| Best use case | Simple document storage with no review workflow | Collaborative editing with formal publishing |
Major and minor versioning gives editors a private workspace for drafts while keeping published versions clean. Use it in libraries where content requires review before release. For libraries that store final documents only, major versions alone are sufficient.