How to fix “Your Changes Can’t be Discarded” in SharePoint

If you are working on a file in SharePoint and encounter an issue while trying to discard a change in the file, you may find an error preventing you from discarding those changes. When users try to exit a file without saving the changes, they will receive an error that says they cannot discard the changes. In this blog, I will provide the steps on how you can resolve this error in SharePoint.

  • The first method is to clear the Office file cache. Clearing the Office file cache will remove all the changes you want to discard when trying to exit a file.
  • The second method is to discard a check out of a file. When you checkout a file in Office, you remove all the changes you made to the file, leaving you with the previous version intact.

I recommend you go through both solutions to get a clear picture of what you need to fix the error. Progress through each of the answers so you have a better understanding of how you can fix the error. If one does not work for you, you can progress with the other solution until you find one that works.

How to delete Office file cache to fix the SharePoint error

You may wonder if the error is on your web browser or on your desktop. The answer is primarily on the local desktop because there is a sync between the desktop and your web server. So the first solution you can use is to clear the Office file cache from your local desktop.

If there is a build-up of unnecessary cache data, it could cause the file to be unresponsive even on the web browser. Therefore, you must clear the file cache before you progress to have the changes discarded whenever required.

  • Firstly, open File Explorer. 

Use file explorer to find your OfficeFileCache folder. 

  • Now input the following into the quick access section.
    • C:\Users\Yourusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache

Here you need to copy and paste the path that will take you to the file cache folder. You will, however, need to replace “Yourusername” with your desktop username. 

  • Press the enter key to open the Office cache folder. 
  • Select all the cache content by pressing the (Control + A) keys. 

Here is another effective shortcut you can use to simplify the process of specific steps. If you select one file or folder and then press (Control + A), it will select everything; you can manually select all the content if you want. 

  • Right-click on the selected content and then click on “Delete.” 
  • Open the Recycle bin.  
  • Select the cached content and then click on “Empty recycle bin.”  
  • Click on “Yes” to confirm deletions and complete the process. 

Once the steps are complete, you will have managed to remove all unnecessary cache from the Office file section. You can manually look for the cached content; however, if you use the path and change the user to your user name, you can navigate to the cached content easily. You must enter the localized app data section to make the necessary changes to remove the cached content. 

Now you can go back to the file you are working on, and you will be able to keep the file without all the changes made as the pre-existing cache for it has been removed. If you find this solution is not working for you, you can progress with the other solution we have provided.

What can you do to discard a check out of a file in SharePoint?

The second solution you can use to help fix the issue is to discard a checkout of a file that you are working on. If you check out a file using the save method, it will save and apply the changes and prevent you from discarding any of the changes you have made by displaying an error. You can use this process to help remove all those changes without the error showing. 

Instead of saving the file after checking out a file that contains unwanted modifications, you can remove the checkout. If your company keeps track of versions, a new version will be established when you check a file back into the library. You may prevent creating new versions of a file when you haven’t made any modifications by removing the checkout.

  • Firstly, open SharePoint from Office 365 and select one of your sites.
  • Now select one of your document libraries from the side. 
  • Select one of your files from there by clicking on the small circle towards the right. 
  • Now click on the three horizontal dots in the top menu. 
  • Click on the option for “Discard checkout” to complete the process. 

Once you have completed the steps, you will manage to discard the checkout of a file from SharePoint in Office 365. This will discard any recent changes you have made to your file before the last checkout. You must make sure the file is not locked or is not under the ownership of another user who has prevented any editing.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading our content on how you can fix the issue of not being able to discard changes made to a file in SharePoint. I provided the solutions on how you can resolve this issue and an in-depth guide on each of those solutions. You can progress through each solution to see which method will work best for you, and you can use some of the screenshots provided to help you go through the process.

I have tested both of these methods to ensure that they both work correctly, so there is no need to worry if the process will work or not. If you still do come across any issues when trying to follow the steps, simply drop a comment below, and we will address the issues you have 

Saajid Gangat

Saajid Gangat has been a researcher and content writer at Business Tech Planet since 2021. Saajid is a tech-savvy writer with expertise in web and graphic design and has extensive knowledge of Microsoft 365, Adobe, Shopify, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and more! You can connect with Saajid on Linkedin.

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