SharePoint Limitations exist for every SharePoint version. They need to be taken care of in order to successfully utilize it to its complete potential.

1. Major SharePoint Limitations: Version-wise Explained
SharePoint Online Limitations exist for every SharePoint
version. They need to be taken care of in order to
successfully utilize it to its complete potential.
SharePoint is often the choice for team collaboration and document management but SharePoint
Limitations too need to be taken care of.
There are many benefits to using SharePoint, whichever version it might be. But there are a few
limitations and restrictions in each SharePoint version that are noteworthy. Let’s see some of these
limitations.

2. Major SharePoint Limitations mentioned version-wise
Number of site collections
SharePoint Online: The maximum number of site collections that can be created in a tenant is 2
million.
SharePoint 2019 server: The maximum recommended number of site collections per farm is
500,000 Personal Sites plus 250,000 for all other site templates.
SharePoint 2016 server: The maximum recommended number of site collections per farm is
500,000 Personal Sites plus 250,000 for all other site templates.
SharePoint 2013 server: The maximum recommended number of site collections per farm is
500,000 Personal Sites plus 250,000 for all other site templates.
SharePoint 2010 server: The maximum recommended number of site collections per farm is 5000
(2000 recommended).
Site collection size
SharePoint Online: Maximum storage per site collection is 25TB.
SharePoint 2019 server: Maximum size of the content database (200GB – 4TB).
SharePoint 2016 server: Maximum size of the content database (200GB – 4TB).
SharePoint 2013 server: Maximum size of the content database (200GB – 4TB).
SharePoint 2010 server: Maximum storage per site collection is 100GB.
Number of subsites per site collection
SharePoint Online: A maximum of 2000 subsites can be added per site collection.
SharePoint 2019 server: A maximum of 250,000 sites can be added per site collection (2000
recommended).

3. SharePoint 2016 server: A maximum of 250,000 sites can be added per site collection (2000
recommended).
SharePoint 2013 server: A maximum of 250,000 sites can be added per site collection (2000
recommended).
SharePoint 2010 server: A maximum of 250,000 sites can be added per site collection.
Number of items in a list
All SharePoint Versions: A maximum of 30 million items can be created in a list.
List attachment
All SharePoint Versions: A maximum file size of 250MB can be added to a list item.
Number of Documents in a library
All SharePoint Versions: A maximum of 30 million files can be created in a library.
File/Folder name restrictions
SharePoint Online: File/folder name can be of a maximum of 400 characters. Total URL path
can also be a maximum of 400 characters. These names aren’t allowed for files or
folders: .lock, CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM0 - COM9, LPT0 - LPT9, _vti_, desktop.ini,
any file/folder name starting with ~ $. File/folder name cannot contain these characters ( ” * : < >
? / | )
SharePoint 2019 server: File/folder name can be of maximum of 400 characters. Total URL path
can also be a maximum of 400 characters. These names aren’t allowed for files or folders: _vti_,
any folder name starting with . ~ . File/folder name cannot contain these characters ( ” * : < > ? /
| )
SharePoint 2016 server: File/folder name can be of maximum 260 characters. Total URL path
can also be a maximum of 260 characters. These names aren’t allowed for files or folders: _vti_,
any folder name starting with . ~ . File/folder name cannot contain these characters ( ” * # % : <
> ? / | )

4. SharePoint 2013 server: File/folder name can be of maximum 128 characters. Total URL path
can also be a maximum of 260 characters. These names aren’t allowed for files or folders: _vti_,
any folder name starting with . ~ . File/folder name cannot contain these characters ( ~ ” # % & *
: < > ? / { | } )
SharePoint 2010 server: File/folder name can be of maximum 128 characters. Total URL path
can also be a maximum of 260 characters. These names aren’t allowed for files or folders: _vti_,
any folder name starting with . ~ . File/folder name cannot contain these characters ( ~ ” # % & *
: < > ? / { | } )
Blocked File types
SharePoint online: No file types are blocked if allow custom script option is enabled in Admin
center. If that option is prevented these file types are blocked (.aspx .asmx .ascx .master .xap .swf
.jar .xsf .htc)
SharePoint 2019 server: No file types are blocked.
SharePoint 2016 server: These file types are blocked (.ashx .asmx .json .soap .svc)
SharePoint 2013 server: These file types are blocked (ade, adp, asa, ashx, asmx, asp, bas, bat,
cdx, cer, chm, class, cmd, cnt, com, config, cpl, crt, csh, der, dll, exe, fxp, gadget, grp, hlp, hpj,
hta, htr, htw, ida, idc, idq, ins, isp, its, jse, json, ksh, lnk, mad, maf, mag, mam, maq, mar, mas,
mat, mau, mav, maw, mcf, mda, mdb, mde, mdt, mdw, mdz, msc, msh, msh1, msh1xml, msh2,
msh2xml, mshxml, msi, ms-one-stub, msp, mst, ops, pcd, pif, pl, prf, prg, printer, ps1, ps1xml,
ps2, ps2xml, psc1, psc2, pst, reg, rem, scf, scr, sct, shb, shs, shtm, shtml, soap, stm, svc, url, vb,
vbe, vbs, vsix, ws, wsc, wsf, wsh, xamlx)
SharePoint 2010 server: (ade, adp, app, asa, ashx, asmx, asp, bas, bat, cdx, cer, chm, class, cmd,
cnt, com, config, cpl, crt, csh, der, dll, exe fxp, gadget, grp, hlp, hpj, hta, htr, htw, ida, idc, idq, ins
isp, its, jse, ksh, lnk, mad, maf, mag, mam, maq mar, mas, mat, mau, mav, maw, mcf, mda, mdb,
mde mdt, mdw, mdz, msc, msh, msh1, msh1xml, msh2, msh2xml, mshxml, msi, ms-one-stub,
msp, mst, ops pcd, pif, pl, prf, prg, printer, ps1, ps1xml, ps2, ps2xml psc1, psc2, pst, reg, rem, scf,
scr, sct, shb, shs, shtm, shtml, soap, stm, svc, url, vb, vbe, vbs, ws, wsc, wsf, wsh)
SharePoint Limitations regarding file size in a document library
SharePoint Online: A maximum file size of 15GB can be uploaded in a document library
SharePoint 2019 server: A maximum file size of 15GB can be uploaded in a document library
SharePoint 2016 server: A maximum file size of 10GB can be uploaded in a document library

5. SharePoint 2013 server: A maximum file size of 2GB can be uploaded in a document library
SharePoint 2010 server: A maximum file size of 2GB can be uploaded in a document library
SharePoint Online Limitations in different Versioning
SharePoint Online: Maximum number of 50000 major versions and 511 minor versions
SharePoint 2019 server: Maximum number of 400000 major versions and 511 minor versions
SharePoint 2016 server: Maximum number of 400000 major versions and 511 minor versions
SharePoint 2013 server: Maximum number of 400000 major versions and 511 minor versions
SharePoint 2010 server: Maximum number of 400000 major versions and 511 minor versions
Threshold view
All SharePoint Versions: Threshold for a site view is 2000 subsites, 2000 lists per site. A list
view threshold of 5000 items.
Thumbnails, Pdf Preview
All SharePoint Versions: Generated if image, PDF size is less than 100MB.
Number of Users & Groups
All SharePoint Versions: A maximum of 2 million users can be added per site collection. A user
can belong to 5,000 groups, and each group can have up to 5,000 users. You can have up to 10,000
groups per site (site collection).
Number of lookup fields in a list

6. All SharePoint Versions: A maximum of 12 lookup fields can be added to a list.
Managed Metadata
SharePoint Online: A maximum of 1000 term groups, 1000 global term sets, 200,000 terms can
be present in the term store.
SharePoint 2019 server: A maximum of 1000 term groups, 1000 global term sets, 1,000,000
terms can be present in the term store. A maximum of 30,000 terms can be present in a term set.
SharePoint 2016 server: A maximum of 1000 term groups, 1000 global term sets, 1,000,000
terms can be present in term store. A maximum of 30,000 terms can be present in a term set.
SharePoint 2013 server: A maximum of 1000 term groups, 1000 global term sets, 1,000,000
terms can be present in term store. A maximum of 30,000 terms can be present in a term set.
SharePoint 2010 server: A maximum of 1000 term groups, 1000 global term sets, 1,000,000
terms can be present in term store. A maximum of 30,000 terms can be present in a term set.
These are some of the SharePoint limitations. To find out more, Click here
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