In this article, I will solve the below issue in SharePoint Server / SharePoint Online.

This web site has been configured to disallow editing with SharePoint Designer

 

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SharePoint Server: This website has been configured to disallow editing with SharePoint Designer

Scenario

In SharePoint Server 2013 / Project Server 2013. while I tried to edit the Project SIte Master Page. I got the following error message:

Cause

This problem might occur in case of

• SharePoint Designer might be disallowed to be used in this  Web Application.
• By default, Web design features are disabled in ONET.XML file.

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Solution

SharePoint Designer is not allowed to be used in this  Web Application

First, I thought that SharePoint Designer might be disabled in Web Application General Settings, therefore, I checked it by opening:

• Central Administration > Application Management > Manage Web Application > Select Web Application > General Settings > SharePoint Designer.

• As shown below, It’s already Checked.

During my investigating, I have decided to try to open another site with a different template like Team Site that is worked properly!

Finally, I realized that the problem is not related to SharePoint Designer settings, and the issue is related to Project Site Template that by default disable the web design features in ONET.XML file.

Web design feature is disabled for Project Site Template

To enable the web design features in ONET.XML file for PWA Template, you should do the following:

• Navigate to the following path:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\Web Server Extensions\15
\TEMPLATE\SiteTemplates

Note: 15 hive depend on the SharePoint Version (15 for SP 2013, 14 for SharePoint 2010, 12 for SharePoint 2007).

• Open  (PWA) > XML Folder.

• Right click on ONET.xml file to edit it with an appropriate program (I used Notepad).

•  Press Ctrl + F on the keyboard to search for DisableWebDesignFeatures=”wdfopensite” that should be placed in Project Tag.

• Remove this Property DisableWebDesignFeatures=”wdfopensite” from Project tag.
• Save and Close.
• Reset IIS (Run > CMD > IISRESET /force).

• Restart SharePoint Designer, it should now be worked properly.

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SharePoint Online: This website has been configured to disallow editing with SharePoint Designer

Cause

In SharePoint Online, you may get the “This website has been configured to disallow editing with SharePoint Designer” in case:

• The current site is Moderns Site.
• The current site is Classic site but the Custom scripting is not enabled.

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Solution

In case the current site is Modern experience Site.

By design, the Modern experience Sites are not supported to be edited by SharePoint Designer.

Unfrohtunalty, there is no way to edit and customize the Modern experience site by SharePoint Designer. For more details, check the Supported customizations on “modern” team sites

In case the current site is Classic experience site

To can edit your SharePoint online classic experience site, you should do the following:

• Enable Custom Scripting.
• Allow Add and Customize Pages using PowerShell.
• Enable SharePoint Designer in SharePoint Online.

Enable Custom Scripting In SharePoint Online

By default, editing the root Site collection is disabled in Sharepoint Online, to enable it, try to do the following:

• SharePoint Admin Center > Settings > Custom Script.

• Enable the custom script by checking
  • Allow users to run a custom script on personal sites.
  • Allow users to run a custom script on self-service created sites

Note: Changes to the above settings might take up 24 hours to take effect!

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Allow Add and Customize Pages using PowerShell in SharePoint Online

• Using SharePoint Admin, run the below cmdlet in SharePoint Online PowerShell

Connect-SPOService -Url https://theTenantURL.sharepoint.com/
Set-SPOSite -DenyAddAndCustomizePages 0 -Identity https://yourSiteURL

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Enable SharePoint Designer settings in SharePoint Online

• Site Settings> below Site collection Administration > Click on SharePoint Designer Settings.
• Enable the Sharepoint Settings, All other customization settings as you prefer

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Applies To

• SharePoint Online.
• Project Server 2016.
• Project Server 2013.
• Project Server 2010.