How to Turn On and Off Versioning in Microsoft Office 365 In Hindi
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Microsoft Office 365 is a powerful suite that allows businesses and individuals to create, collaborate, and manage documents seamlessly. One of the most useful features in Office 365 is versioning, which helps users track changes, recover previous versions of files, and maintain document integrity. Whether you are working on Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files stored in SharePoint or OneDrive, versioning ensures that no data is lost and every edit is traceable. In this guide, we’ll explain how to turn on and off versioning in Microsoft Office 365, step by step.
What Is Versioning in Microsoft Office 365?
Versioning is a feature that automatically saves previous versions of a file whenever changes are made. This means you can view, restore, or download earlier versions if necessary. It is especially helpful in collaborative environments, where multiple users edit the same document.
Key benefits of versioning include:
Data recovery: Accidentally deleted or overwritten content can be restored.
Change tracking: You can track who made which changes and when.
Collaboration: Multiple team members can work on the same file without fear of losing important edits.
Compliance: Versioning helps maintain regulatory compliance by keeping a history of document changes.
Versioning in Office 365 is available primarily through SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business, which are the backbone for file storage and collaboration.
How to Turn On Versioning in Microsoft Office 365
Enabling versioning in Office 365 is simple, but the steps vary depending on whether your files are stored in SharePoint or OneDrive.
1. Turn On Versioning in SharePoint Online
SharePoint Online is widely used in organizations for managing documents and team collaboration. Follow these steps to enable versioning:
Open your SharePoint site and navigate to the document library where your files are stored.
Click on the Settings icon (gear icon) in the top-right corner.
Select Library settings from the dropdown menu.
Under General Settings, click Versioning settings.
You will see options under Document Version History:
No versioning: Version history is disabled.
Create major versions: Every save creates a new version.
Create major and minor (draft) versions: This is useful if you want to save drafts and published versions separately.
Select the option that fits your requirement. For most organizations, Create major versions is sufficient.
Set additional options such as the number of versions to retain (e.g., last 50 versions).
Click OK to save changes.
After completing these steps, versioning will be active, and SharePoint will automatically track all future changes to documents.
2. Turn On Versioning in OneDrive for Business
OneDrive for Business also supports versioning, though the interface is slightly different. Here’s how to enable it:
Open OneDrive for Business in your browser.
Navigate to the folder where your document is stored.
Right-click the file or click the ellipsis (…) next to it.
Select Version history from the menu.
If versioning is not already enabled, OneDrive will prompt you to turn it on.
Confirm to enable versioning.
Once versioning is active, you can view previous versions, restore them, or download them for offline use.
How to Turn Off Versioning in Microsoft Office 365
While versioning is highly useful, there may be situations where you want to disable it. Disabling versioning reduces storage usage and may be preferred for files that do not require a detailed history.
1. Turn Off Versioning in SharePoint Online
To disable versioning in a SharePoint library:
Go to your SharePoint document library.
Click the Settings icon and choose Library settings.
Select Versioning settings under General Settings.
Under Document Version History, select No versioning.
Click OK to save changes.
After this, SharePoint will no longer maintain a version history for new edits. Existing versions will remain unless you manually delete them.
2. Turn Off Versioning in OneDrive for Business
Disabling versioning in OneDrive is straightforward:
Open OneDrive for Business in your browser.
Navigate to the file or folder you want to modify.
Right-click the file and select Version history.
Choose Settings or Manage versioning (depending on your OneDrive interface).
Turn off versioning and save your changes.
Be aware that once you disable versioning, previous versions may no longer be accessible. It’s a good practice to backup important files before turning off this feature.
Read Other Information:
Tips for Managing Versioning in Office 365
To make the most of versioning, here are some tips:
Set limits on versions: Keeping unlimited versions can consume a lot of storage. Set a limit, such as retaining the last 50 versions.
Regularly review versions: Periodically check version history to delete outdated versions and free up space.
Use major and minor versions wisely: Major versions are suitable for final documents, while minor versions are ideal for drafts and edits.
Educate your team: Make sure all team members understand how versioning works and how to restore files if needed.
Combine with OneDrive backup: Even with versioning, consider using OneDrive or SharePoint backups to avoid accidental loss of critical files.
Common Questions About Versioning in Office 365
Q1. Can I restore a deleted version of a file?
Yes. In both SharePoint and OneDrive, you can restore previous versions of a file. Just right-click the file, select Version history, and choose Restore for the desired version.
Q2. Does versioning work for all file types?
Most Office file types (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) support versioning. Other file types may also be versioned depending on SharePoint or OneDrive settings.
Q3. How does versioning affect storage?
Each version of a file takes up space in SharePoint or OneDrive. Be mindful of storage limits and set version retention policies accordingly.
Q4. Can I turn versioning on for individual files only?
Versioning is generally set at the library or folder level. Individual files inherit the library’s versioning settings.
Conclusion
Versioning in Microsoft Office 365 is an essential feature for anyone who works with documents collaboratively or wants to maintain data integrity. Whether you are using SharePoint or OneDrive, enabling versioning ensures that your files are safe, previous versions are recoverable, and edits are tracked efficiently.
Turning versioning on or off is straightforward, but it’s crucial to understand your organization’s needs before making changes. Properly managed versioning can save time, prevent data loss, and streamline collaboration for teams of any size.
By following the steps outlined above, you can confidently manage versioning in Office 365, ensuring that your documents are both secure and easily recoverable whenever needed.