Permanently Delete SharePoint Site Greyed Out-Fix Quickly

User Case

When the option to permanently delete a SharePoint site appears greyed out, it typically indicates a permissions or settings issue. the immediate effect is that the site remains in the Recycle Bin or in a state of limbo. This can impact site management, retention schedules, and overall system cleanup efforts. It may also cause confusion for administrators and users expecting the site to be deleted.

But don't worry, in this article, we will talk about what may cause this problem, how to fix it as well as how to prevent such issues from happening again in future. So, just keep reading!

Reasons Why a SharePoint Team Site Cannot Be Deleted

• Connected to a Microsoft 365 Group: Deleting a team site requires removing all associated group resources.
• Insufficient Permissions: The user may lack the necessary rights to perform the deletion.
• Active Features or Workflows: Ongoing processes may block the deletion.
• Pending Site Backups: If a backup is in progress, deletion may be temporarily restricted.
• Retention Policies: Compliance rules may prevent site removal.
• Site Dependencies: The site may rely on other components that need resolution first.
• Third-Party Applications: Installed apps might interfere with deletion.
• System Errors or Bugs: Technical issues within SharePoint could block the deletion process.

How to Permanently Delete SharePoint Site When Options Are Greyed Out

To address the issue of permanently deleting a SharePoint site when options are greyed out, follow these steps:

1. Delete all the group’s resources

To permanently delete a Microsoft 365 group-connected team site, follow these steps:

• Install the latest SharePoint Online Management Shell. 
• Connect to SharePoint as a SharePoint admin in Microsoft 365. 
• Run the following command:

Remove-SPODeletedSite -Identity https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/sitetoremove

Note: In this command, replace  https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/sitetoremove with the URL of the site that you want to delete permanently.

Here’s a more detailed version of your steps for permanently deleting a site:

2. Check Permissions

Before attempting to delete a site permanently, confirm that you have the necessary permissions. Typically, only Site Collection Administrators or users with Full Control permissions can perform this action.

• Verify your role: Go to the Site Settings > Site Permissions to check your access level.
• Request permissions if needed: If you lack the required permissions, contact your SharePoint or IT administrator to grant you the necessary rights.

3. Resolve Dependencies

A site may contain dependencies that must be removed or addressed before deletion. Consider the following:

• Active Features: Check for any enabled site features under Site Settings > Manage Site Features and deactivate them.
• Workflows: Identify any running workflows in Power Automate or SharePoint Designer. Ensure all workflows are completed, canceled, or deleted.
• Connected Content: Remove or relocate lists, libraries, subsites, and external data sources to prevent issues.
• Shared Links & Integrations: If the site is linked to external applications or users, notify stakeholders before deletion.

4. Review Retention Policies

Retention policies may prevent the deletion of a site if data needs to be preserved for compliance reasons.

• Check Retention Policies: Go to Microsoft Purview Compliance Center or SharePoint Admin Center to see if a retention policy is applied.
• Modify or Remove Policies: If a policy prevents deletion, you may need to adjust or remove it, which may require admin access.

If the SharePoint site does not help you delete files successully, you can employ advanced tools such as MultCloud. It is a notable multiple cloud manager, boasting a lot of advanced features: cloud transfer, cloud sync, cloud backup, team transfer, remote upload, email migration, image saver, etc.

Prevent Tips of SharePoint Site Deletion Options Grey out

To avoid encountering the "permanently delete SharePoint site greyed out" issue in the future:

• Regularly Review Permissions: Ensure that permissions are correctly assigned and maintained for site administrators.
• Manage Site Dependencies: Keep track of site features and dependencies that might affect deletion.
• Implement Clear Retention Policies: Define and manage retention policies to prevent conflicts with site deletions.
• Monitor SharePoint Updates: Stay informed about SharePoint updates and patches that could impact site management functionalities.