Microsoft Entra ID · M365 Workloads & Services
SharePoint Backup Administrator
Manages all aspects of Microsoft 365 Backup for SharePoint and OneDrive including backup policies and restore operations.
Scope: Microsoft 365 Backup administration for SharePoint and OneDrive
Permissions
- Create/manage backup policies
- Perform restore operations
- Manage SharePoint protection
- Manage OneDrive protection
- View restore points
Common use cases
- Disaster recovery
- Content restoration
- Backup policy management
- Compliance retention
Best practices
- Test restore procedures
- Document backup policies
- Monitor backup health
Security considerations
- Can restore deleted content
- Access to backup metadata
Common questions
When should I assign the SharePoint Backup Administrator role?
Assign SharePoint Backup Administrator when you need to: Disaster recovery; Content restoration; Backup policy management; and Compliance retention. It is part of Microsoft Entra ID and should be granted as a least-privilege alternative to broader roles like Global Administrator.
What can someone with the SharePoint Backup Administrator role do?
The SharePoint Backup Administrator role grants permissions including: Create/manage backup policies; Perform restore operations; Manage SharePoint protection; Manage OneDrive protection; and View restore points. See the Permissions section above for the full list.
What are the security risks of the SharePoint Backup Administrator role?
Key considerations when assigning SharePoint Backup Administrator: Can restore deleted content; and Access to backup metadata. Review the Security considerations section before assignment, and pair with Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for just-in-time access where possible.