SharePoint Invalid Characters

According to KB article 905231 , SharePoint has very specific reserved characters that are invalid for use in site names, subsite names, group names, folder names, and document names.  This is frequently overlooked by SharePoint users.   I would hazard a guess that many end users are not even aware of this information.  How could users be aware of this when SharePoint lets users create content that contain these invalid characters?  Please ensure that you and your fellow SharePoint users are aware of the following invalid characters:

• Site Names
  • Do not use the following: | # { } % & <TAB>" ~ + / / : * ? " < >
  • Do not start a site name, subsite name, or a site group name with an underscore (_) or with the period character.
  • I recommend that you do not use an underscore or a period.  While it is possible, there are some caveats, such as: 
    • You cannot use the period character consecutively in the middle of a site name
    • You cannot use the period character at the end of a site name
• Folder Names and File Names
  • Do not use: " # % & * : < > ? / / { | } ~
  • File names cannot be longer than 128 characters
  • Do not use the period character consecutively in the middle of a file name.  For example, "file..name.docx" is invalid.
  • You cannot use the period character at the end of a file name
  • You cannot start a file name with the period character

 

Following is pulled directly from KB 905231 for reference.

Site names, subsite names, or site group names

•	You cannot use the following characters anywhere in a site name, in a subsite name, or in a site or Active Directory group name: • tilde (~) • number sign (#) • percent (%) • ampersand (&) • asterisk (*) • braces ({ }) • backslash (/) • colon (:) • angle brackets (< >) • question mark (?) • slash (/) • plus sign (+) • pipe (|) • quotation mark (")
•	You cannot start a site name, subsite name, or a site group name with an underscore (_) character or with the period character.
•	You cannot use the period character consecutively in the middle of a site name, a subsite name, or a site group name.
•	You cannot use the period character at the end of a site name, a subsite name, or a site group name.

 

Folder names

•	You cannot use the following characters anywhere in a folder name or a server name: • tilde • number sign • percent • ampersand • asterisk • braces • backslash • colon • angle brackets • question mark • slash • pipe • quotation mark
•	You cannot use the period character consecutively in the middle of a folder name.
•	You cannot use the period character at the end of a folder name.
•	You cannot start a folder name with the period character.

 

File names

•	You cannot use the following characters anywhere in a file name: • tilde • number sign • percent • ampersand • asterisk • braces • backslash • colon • angle brackets • question mark • slash • pipe • quotation mark
•	You cannot use the period character consecutively in the middle of a file name.
•	You cannot use the period character at the end of a file name.
•	You cannot start a file name with the period character.