SharePoint 2010 : How to Enable anonymous access to List and Libraries - Part 2

In part 1(SharePoint 2010: How to enable anonymous access), I discussed about enabling Anonymous access to the web application after it was created, and in this blog, will discuss about enabling Anonymous access to a document library.

I have created a test team site with a document library name "My doc lib" and a test user who does not have access to the team site, as shown below
Here are the steps to configure the Anonymous access to the Lists and Libraries(ex., My doc Lib) and before proceding to the steps, lets login with the new user and try to access the document library

Ok, test Passed :) , Document Library Access is denied for the test user and here are the steps.

Step 1: Go to the library settings of the document library

Step 2: Click Permission for this document library

Step 3: Now the permission Tools page will be displayed, but this page(Ribbon) will not display the anonymous access option, because this libary is inheriting the permission from its parent, and in this scenario it inherits permission from the Team site.

Step 4 -Stop Inheriting Permissions from the parent

Step 5: Now the anonymous access option is enabled in the ribbon

Step 6: Click on the Anonymous access button on the Ribbon, and click on View item.

Note: Anonymous users cannot Add, Edit, Delete items in the document library, they can have only view permission.


Step 7: Login with the test user to verify whether the anonymous access is enabled

Done!, now the anonymous user is able to access the document library, see top right corner.

SharePoint 2010: How to enable anonymous access - Part 1

For some reason if you want to enable anonymous access, after creating your Web Applications, then here are the steps to enable it to your site.
Step 1 : Goto Central Administration ->Application Management ->Manage Web Applications


Step 2 : Select the web application for which you need to enable anonymous access

Step 3 : Select Default (Authentication Providers)
(Note:I created my web application with Claims authentication)

Step 4 : Select Enable anonymous access

Step 5 : Save

Step 6 : GoTo the site for which you need to enable anonymous access

Step 7 : Click on Site actions -> Site Permissions

Step 8: Click on Anonymous Access

And for Step 9, we have three options to select

1. Entire Web Site - Select this option to enable Anonymous access to the entire web site
2. Lists and Libraries - Select this option to enable Anonymous access only to your lists and libraries, This way you can provide access only to a particular list or a library for your anonymous users.
3. Nothing

Step 9: Select List and Libraries ( I am not enabling anonymous access to the entire site)

Step 10: Done, anonymous access is enabled for your site's Lists and Libraries.

Ok, Mission accomplished, and we have enabled anonymous access to our site lists and libraries, but the big question is for which list and library of our site.

Let see how to enable anonymous access to our document library in Part 2 - How to Enable anonymous access to List and Libraries.