To stay updated when your Microsoft SharePoint documents or items on your site change, create alerts. You can set up an alert for a list, library, folder, file, or list item. For example, you can set up an alert for a specific folder in a library, without receiving alerts when changes occur in the rest of the library.

Get alerts on item changes in SharePoint

1. Go to the list or library in SharePoint and select the file, link, or folder for which you want to get an alert.

2. From the list of options for the folder, list or library, select the ... (ellipses), and then select Alert Me. (1 & 2 in screenshot)
   

3. The following window will open with an Alert me when items change dialog, select and change the options you want.
   

4. To save, select OK.

Get alerts on all changes in a document library in SharePoint

1. Go to the list or library and make sure no items are selected.

2. From the list of options for the list or library, select the ... (ellipses), and then select Alert Me.

3. In the Alert me when items change dialog, change or fill in the options you want.

4. Select OK.

Cancel alerts in SharePoint

1. To view your alerts from a page on the site, from the list of options for the list or library, select the ... (ellipsis), and then select Manage My Alerts.
   
   

   
   
   

2. Select the alert that you want to delete.

3. Select Delete Selected Alerts.
   
   

   
   
   

4. To delete, select OK.
   
   

See updates without email alerts

If you'd rather not get email, but still want to keep on top of changes in your document libraries, follow the steps below.

View file activity in a document library

1. Open the document library

2. Select Open the details pane
   
   

   
   
   

3. Scan the Activity section to view the latest activities for your files

   
   
   

4. To close the details pane, select Open the details pane  again
   
   

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