WHAT'S UNDER THE GEAR IN SHAREPOINT?

In SharePoint Online, clicking the gear icon (also referred to as the "Settings" icon) in the top-right corner of a SharePoint site opens a dropdown menu that provides access to various site management and configuration options.

The options available in this dropdown menu depend on the type of site, the user's permissions and whether the site is using a modern or classic experience. Below is a detailed list of the most common options typically found in the gear icon dropdown menu for a modern SharePoint Online site, assuming the user has sufficient permissions.

Detailed List of Gear Icon Dropdown Menu Options in SharePoint Online (Modern Experience)

1. Site contents

   • Description: Opens the Site Contents page, which displays all lists, libraries, pages, and apps within the site. It also provides access to the Recycle Bin and Site Usage reports.
   • Purpose: Used to manage or view all content stored in the site, including creating new lists or libraries, or accessing subsites (in classic sites).
   • Availability: Available to users with read permissions or higher. Some content may be restricted based on permissions.

2. Site settings

   • Description: Opens the Site Settings page, providing access to advanced configuration options for the site.
   • Sub-sections (not part of the dropdown but accessible via Site Settings):
     • Look and Feel: Options like Navigation, Change the look (theme, header, footer), Title, description, and logo, and Master page (classic sites).
     • Users and Permissions: Manage Site permissions, People and groups, and Access requests.
     • Web Designer Galleries: Site columns, Site content types, Web parts, and Themes (classic sites).
     • Site Actions: Save site as a template, Enable features, or Delete site.
     • Site Collection Administration: Manage site collection features, Recycle Bin, Storage metrics, and Site hierarchy.
   • Availability: Typically available only to Site Owners or Site Collection Administrators. Some options may be hidden for users with lower permissions.

3. Site permissions

   • Description: Opens the Site Permissions panel, where administrators can manage user and group access, invite new members, and configure sharing settings.
   • Sub-options:
     • Invite new members to the site.
     • Change access levels (e.g., Read, Edit, Full Control).
     • Configure external sharing settings (if enabled by tenant admins).
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners or users with Full Control permissions.

4. Site usage

   • Description: Displays analytics and usage statistics for the site, such as page views, unique visitors, and popular content.
   • Purpose: Helps site owners understand how users are interacting with the site.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners and sometimes Members, depending on tenant settings.

5. Site performance

   • Description: Provides insights into the site’s loading performance and recommendations for optimization (e.g., reducing image sizes or optimizing web parts).
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners in modern sites, particularly Communication Sites.

6. Change the look

   • Description: Allows customization of the site’s appearance, including themes, header, footer, and navigation style.
   • Sub-options:
     • Theme: Choose from predefined or custom themes to change the site’s color scheme.
     • Header: Customize the header layout (e.g., minimal, standard, extended) and add a logo or background image.
     • Footer: Add or edit a site footer with custom links or text.
     • Navigation: Switch between Mega Menu or Cascading navigation styles (for Communication Sites or Team Sites with horizontal navigation enabled).
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners or users with Design permissions.

7. Apply a site template

   • Description: Allows users to apply a predefined site template to change the site’s structure, layout, or content (e.g., templates for project management, team collaboration, or department sites).
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners under the “Look and Feel” section in Site Settings or directly in the gear menu (depending on tenant configuration).

8. Add a page

   • Description: Shortcut to create a new modern SharePoint site page directly from the dropdown menu.
   • Purpose: Streamlines the process of adding new pages without navigating through the “New” menu.
   • Availability: Available to users with Edit or Contribute permissions.

9. Add an app

   • Description: Opens the SharePoint App Catalog to add apps, such as custom lists, libraries, or third-party web parts.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners or users with permissions to add apps.

10. Site information

    • Description: Opens a panel to view or edit basic site details, such as the site name, description, logo, and privacy settings (e.g., Public or Private for Team Sites).
    • Availability: Available to Site Owners or users with Full Control permissions.

Additional features and controls available but may or may not be shown in the Gear menu.

1. Manage access

   • Description: Similar to Site Permissions, this option allows administrators to manage who has access to the site and configure sharing settings.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners or users with Full Control permissions.

2. Edit page

   • Description: Enters edit mode for the current page, allowing users to modify web parts, sections, or content.
   • Availability: Available to users with Edit or Contribute permissions on the page.

3. Analytics

   • Description: Provides detailed analytics about the site’s performance, similar to Site Usage, but may include more granular data like page-level analytics.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners, typically in modern sites.

4. Recycle bin

   • Description: Opens the site’s Recycle Bin, where deleted items (e.g., documents, lists, pages) can be restored or permanently deleted.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners or users with permissions to access the Recycle Bin.

5. Microsoft 365 Group settings (Team Sites only)

   • Description: Allows management of Microsoft 365 Group settings for Team Sites connected to a Microsoft 365 Group, such as group membership or email settings.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners or Group Owners for Team Sites.

6. Hub settings (if the site is part of a Hub)

   • Description: Provides options to manage Hub Site associations, such as joining or leaving a Hub or configuring Hub Navigation.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners for sites associated with a Hub Site.

7. Regional settings

   • Description: Allows configuration of the site’s time zone, locale, and calendar settings.
   • Availability: Available to Site Owners, typically under Site Settings but occasionally in the gear menu.

8. Search settings

   • Description: Configures search settings for the site, such as custom search scopes or result sources (more common in classic sites).
   • Availability: Available to Site Collection Administrators, typically under Site Settings.

9. Site features

   • Description: Allows enabling or disabling site-specific features (e.g., SharePoint Server Publishing for classic sites).
   • Availability: Available to Site Collection Administrators, typically under Site Settings.

10. Site collection features

    • Description: Manages features that apply to the entire site collection, such as enabling SharePoint Designer access or activating specific workflows.
    • Availability: Available to Site Collection Administrators.

11. Theme customization (advanced)

    • Description: Allows advanced customization of the site’s theme, including custom CSS or branding, though this is limited in modern sites compared to classic sites.
    • Availability: Available to Site Owners with access to “Change the look” or through Site Settings.

Notes and Considerations

• Permissions Impact: Users with read-only access (e.g., Visitors) may see a limited gear menu with options like “Site contents” or “Site usage” only, while Site Owners see the full range of options. If the gear icon is missing entirely, it could indicate a permissions issue or a temporary UI glitch.
• Classic vs. Modern Sites: In classic SharePoint sites, additional options like “Site Actions” or “Save site as template” may appear, but these are less common in modern sites. Modern sites prioritize simplicity and limit customization options.
• Customization Limitations: Some options, like editing the SharePoint header link or hiding the gear icon, require custom CSS or PowerShell scripts, as direct modification is not supported in modern sites.
• UI Variations: The gear menu’s appearance and options may vary due to Microsoft’s ongoing updates to SharePoint Online. For example, changes to the suite bar or tenant-wide theming can alter the menu’s look or available options.