SharePoint has an alternative method for accessing it’s files, and that is via a web standard called Web DAV. This connection type has been around a long time, and is supported by the web server. This connection type allows other applications, in my case GoodReader, to connect to SharePoint and access folders and files directly.
A user who only has Read permissions is not allow log in rights into the site over the Web DAV connection. Fortunately, this is an easy fix. You can either create a new permission level, like “Read – Web DAV”, or modify the existing Read permission level to include WebDAV.
To do so:
- Go to Site Actions > Site Settings.
- Click Site Permissions.
- Click Permission Levels in the ribbon.
- If you want to add a new permission level, click on Read, then press Copy Permission Level at the bottom.
- If you want to modify the existing Read permission level, click on Read.
- Scroll down, under Site Permissions is Browse Directories. Check that option.
- Click Submit.
That should do it. Immediately, Read users, or users in this permission level, can access SharePoint via Web DAV.
Happy SharePointing!
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Why does Microsoft disable this by default? Are there (security) issues when you change this?
I’m not sure why its disabled. The read-only account is the bare minimum, so why would they need to gain read-only access to a site via WebDAV? Well, I’d guess that’s the rational behind it.
WebDAV follows the same permission set SharePoint is using, so if they have read-only access to the site, they’ll have read-only access to the folders within.