If you are trying to edit documents that you’ve opened in SharePoint but it keeps opening them up using the online version of WORD, Excel, etc., you may be getting a bit frustrated if you prefer using the desktop versions. Here’s how to change the default to open the documents using your desktop version.

First, you need to be site administrator to change the main default.

1. If you are the site administrator, open SharePoint. At the top right, click the gear.
2. Choose “Site Settings” in the drop-down menu.
3. Under “Site Collection Administration, click “Site collection features”.
4. Scroll about halfway down and click the “Active” button next to “Open Documents in Client Applications by Default”.
5. Next, each user must do the following: Do a search (or anything), then scroll to the bottom of the search.
6. At the very bottom you’ll see a link that says “Preferences”.
7. Next to “Opening Documents in the Browser”, choose “Open in the client application”.
8. At the bottom right, click the button that says “Save Preferences”.

Now you should be able to open a document and it will open the desktop version.

by Rana Kory