SharePoint Designer 2013: This file may not be moved, deleted, renamed or otherwise edited

In this post, we will be solving “This file may not be moved, deleted, renamed or otherwise edited” that you may face when renaming a file using SharePoint Designer 2013 in SharePoint 2016 and SharePoint 2013.

You might also like to read SharePoint Designer: The file is no longer checked out or has been deleted

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This file may not be moved, deleted, renamed or otherwise edited

In SharePoint Designer 2013, I took a copy from the default master page file (.Master), and when I tried to rename this file. I got the below error:

Server error: This file may not be moved, deleted, renamed or otherwise edited.

Cause

SharePoint 2013 introduces a new publishing feature called Design Manager, With Design Manager, you can create a visual design for your website by  using only HTML and CSS, and then upload this design to the SharePoint that will be converted to a Master Page package consists of two files (*.Html ,*.master).

So, If you tried to create a master page with only a *.master file and you want to rename or edit it, the SharePoint will try to find the *. Html file that already not exist, and you will get this Server error: This file may not be moved, deleted, renamed, or otherwise edited.

Solution

If you would like to tack a copy from the default  Seattle / Oslo Master Page, you should copy *.Html file rather than the *.master file. This will generate automatically a copy of both *.Html and *.master file.

Take a copy from Master Page in SharePoint Designer

• Copy *.Html file of the Master Page.

• Once you paste the copied file, you will note that it automatically generates a copy of  both *.Html and *.master file.
• Now, you can rename *.Html file that will be reflected to *.master file too.

Delete Master Page in SharePoint Designer

• If you need to delete the master page, you should delete *.Html file instead of *.master file.
• If you have a custom Page layout and you need to publish it, so you should publish the *.Html file, not *.aspx file.

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Applies To

• SharePoint 2016.
• SharePoint 2013.
• SharePoint Designer.

See Also

• Missing SharePoint 2013 Workflow – Project Server in SharePoint Designer
• Add custom CSS without modifying the master page in SharePoint