Disable TFS check-in permissions at the server or collection level

Question

I want to deny/restrict users from checking-in/out files in TFS. We are using TFVC with 2017.1 TFS.

I know I can do this at project level but that will be cumbersome as we have 200 projects. Is this something doable at root or collection level. I just want Collection administrators to have access but no one else.

Answer 1

Navigate to the Security page for any of your Team Projects in the collection, like:

https://account.visualstudio.com/project-name/_settings/repositories?itemPath=%24%2Fproject-name

Then change the itemPath to $/ . That should bring up the security page for the whole collection:

https://account.visualstudio.com/project-name/_settings/repositories?itemPath=%24%2F

Screenshot from Azure DevOps, I no longer have TFS 2017 at hand.

Or use Team Explorer's Source Control Explorer to get to the Security dialog inside Visual Studio.

Set the appropriate denies here and that should cascade down.