How to create a SharePoint page
Open the site home page, select + New and then Page, choose a template, select Create page, add a title and your web parts, then select Publish when the page is ready for readers. You need a title to save the page, and pages can be created only in the Site Pages library.
This page covers creating a page, the templates, saving as a draft, editing and republishing, promoting a page as news, unpublishing it, and who is allowed to do each.
Create a page
- Open the home page of the site and select + New, then Page. You can also select + New then Page from an existing page, or Create then Page in the SharePoint app bar.
- Select a template and choose Create page.
- Enter a title in the Add a title area.
- Add web parts. If the content pane is enabled, select the Toolbox on the right. If not, hover below the title area and select the + that appears. You can also add sections and columns.
- Select Save as draft to save and leave edit mode, or Publish when the page is ready.
The URL of a page cannot be changed after it is created.
Templates
The template gallery has three sections: Saved on this site, Full-page apps and From Microsoft. Blank is the simplest starting point. You can select Create as a private draft, which is visible only to you and the people you share it with. To reuse an existing page, start from it and choose Copy of this page, which brings its web parts and content.
Drafts and publishing
- Save as draft: only people with edit permissions can reach the page until it is published. On sites that use coauthoring, the button reads Save and exit.
- Publish: makes the page available to your audience.
Edit an existing page
- Select Edit at the top right of the page.
- Make your changes.
- Select Save and exit on coauthoring sites, or Save as draft on other sites.
- Select Republish when readers should see the changes.
On sites without coauthoring, the page is locked to you until you save, discard your changes, or the page times out after 5 minutes of inactivity. Microsoft's page lifecycle guidance describes the same states: a new page is a local draft, saving makes a shared draft, publishing makes a major version that goes live, and republishing after edits creates the next major version. If you need an earlier version, open Page details, then Version History, choose the ellipsis next to the version and select Restore. Restoring creates a copy and makes it the latest version.
Promote a page as news
After the first publish you are prompted to help others find the page. Later, select Promote at the top of the page. Microsoft explains the options this way:
- News converts the page to a news post on the site.
- Email sends a preview of the page, with an optional message, to recipients you choose.
- Viva Engage cross-posting is done after the page has been converted to a news post.
Unpublish a page
Open the site's Pages library, select the page, open the ellipsis menu, choose More, then Unpublish. The page returns to a draft state and can no longer be viewed. Microsoft notes that the page can still appear in search results. To stop that, open the ellipsis menu, choose More, then Properties, and under Shared With select Stop sharing.
Who can create, edit and delete pages
- Create: site members with edit permissions. If you cannot add a page, your administrator might have turned off this ability.
- Edit and rename: you need specific permissions. Renaming requires Delete Items, and editing requires Browse User Information. SharePoint permission levels explains how those permissions map to Edit, Contribute and the other levels.
- Delete: site owners and administrators can delete modern pages.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a page in SharePoint?
Select + New, then Page, on the site home page. Choose a template, select Create page, add a title and web parts, then select Publish.
How do I edit a SharePoint page?
Select Edit at the top right, make your changes, save, and select Republish so readers see the update.
What is the difference between Save as draft and Publish?
Save as draft keeps the page visible only to people with edit permissions. Publish makes it available to your audience.
How do I copy a SharePoint page?
Start a new page from an existing one and choose Copy of this page. It reuses the original's web parts and content.
How do I unpublish a SharePoint page?
In the Pages library, select the page, open the ellipsis menu, choose More, then Unpublish. The page returns to a draft and cannot be viewed.
Why does an unpublished page still show in search?
Microsoft notes that an unpublished page can still appear in search results. Remove it by stopping sharing under Properties, Shared With.
Who can delete a SharePoint page?
Site owners and administrators can delete modern pages.
Can I change the URL of a page?
No. The URL of a page cannot be changed after it is created, and pages are created only in the Site Pages library.
Related reading
- How to create a SharePoint site - the site your pages live in.
- How to create a SharePoint list - data you can show on a page.
- SharePoint permission levels - who can add, edit and delete.
- SharePoint hub sites - shared navigation and news roll-up across sites.
- Rename a SharePoint site - change the site name or address.
Mark Smith co-founded SmiKar Software in 2015 and has spent the past decade helping organisations solve Microsoft 365 data management challenges. He works with the SmiKar team to build solutions for SharePoint archiving, storage optimisation, governance and compliance, supporting customers from growing businesses through to Fortune 500 enterprises.
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