Creating a SharePoint site takes five to ten minutes and starts from the Microsoft 365 home page
A SharePoint site is a workspace where your team can store documents, share information, and collaborate on projects in one place. You create one directly from Microsoft 365 without needing IT help, though your organization may have policies about who can start new sites. The process differs slightly depending on whether you want a team site (connected to a Microsoft Teams group) or a communication site (for sharing information one-way).
Both types live at a web address you choose, hold documents and lists, and let you control who sees what. Team sites work best when a group of people need to work together regularly. Communication sites work better when you want to publish updates or announcements to a larger audience who mostly read rather than edit.
Key Takeaways
- You start from the Microsoft 365 home page by clicking the app launcher and selecting SharePoint, then choosing "Create site".
- Team sites connect to Microsoft Teams and let multiple people edit together; communication sites are for publishing information to readers.
- You choose a site name, web address, and privacy level (private or public) during creation.
- After creation, you add team members, upload documents, and set up the home page layout in the site settings.
How to start creating a team site
Open Microsoft 365 in your web browser and sign in with your work account. In the top left corner, click the app launcher (a grid of nine dots), then select SharePoint from the list of apps.
On the SharePoint home page, click the Create site button near the top. Choose Team site from the options that appear. You will see a form asking for a site name, description, and privacy level. The site name is what appears at the top of the page and in search results. The description is optional but helps people understand what the site is for.
For privacy, choose Private if only invited members should see the site, or Public if anyone in your organization can find and join it. Private is more common for team work. After you fill in these fields, click Next.
Choosing your site web address
SharePoint creates a web address (called a URL) based on your site name, but you can change it. The address appears in the browser bar and in links you share. For example, a site named "Marketing Campaign 2024" might get the address marketing-campaign-2024 by default.
Keep the address short and easy to type. Avoid special characters and spaces — SharePoint converts these to hyphens or removes them anyway. If your organization has naming rules (like starting all site addresses with a department code), follow those. Once you create the site, you cannot change the web address, so choose carefully.
Click Finish after you confirm the address. SharePoint takes 30 seconds to a few minutes to build the site. You will see a loading screen, then land on your new site's home page.
How to create a communication site instead
Communication sites work differently from team sites because they do not connect to Teams and are designed for one-way sharing. Start the same way: app launcher, SharePoint, Create site. This time, choose Communication site.
You will see layout options: Blank, Topic, Showcase, or News. Blank gives you an empty page to build from scratch. Topic includes sections for documents and news. Showcase is designed to highlight images and announcements. News is built for publishing articles. Pick the layout that matches how you plan to use the site, then fill in the site name, description, and web address the same way you would for a team site.
Communication sites let you control who can edit (usually just site owners) while others can view and comment. This makes them useful for company announcements, project updates, or resource libraries where most people read but do not change content.
Adding people to your new site
After your site is created, you need to add the people who will use it. Click the Share button in the top right corner of the site. Type the names or email addresses of the people you want to invite, separated by semicolons if there are multiple.
Choose a permission level: Edit lets them add, change, and delete content. Read lets them view content only. For team sites, most members get Edit permission. For communication sites, only owners and editors get Edit permission, and everyone else gets Read.
Click Share to send invitations. People will receive an email with a link to the site. They can start using it as soon as they click the link and sign in.
Setting up your site home page
The home page is what people see first when they visit your site. By default, it shows a title, description, and some empty sections. Click Edit in the top right to change the layout and add content.
You can add web parts — blocks of content like document libraries, news feeds, quick links, or text — by clicking the plus sign and choosing what you want. Drag web parts around to rearrange them. Add a banner image at the top by clicking the camera icon. Write a description of what the site is for in the text area.
Click Republish when you are done editing. Your changes go live immediately, and all site members will see the updated home page.
Uploading documents and creating lists
To add documents, click Documents in the left navigation menu (or create a new library by clicking New and selecting Document library). Click Upload and choose files from your computer, or drag files directly into the library window.
To create a list for tracking tasks, issues, or other information, click New in the left menu and select List. Choose a template like Task, Issue tracker, or Blank, then name your list. You can add columns, set up views, and assign items to team members.
Both documents and lists can have permissions set separately from the site itself, so you can keep some content private to certain team members while sharing other content more widely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the site name or web address after I create it?
You can change the site name and description anytime by clicking Site settings. The web address cannot be changed after creation, so choose it carefully before you finish. If you need a different address, you would have to create a new site.
What is the difference between a team site and a communication site?
Team sites connect to Microsoft Teams and are built for groups who work together and edit content regularly. Communication sites are for publishing information to a wider audience who mostly read. Team sites have more collaboration features; communication sites have better layouts for announcements and news.
Do I need permission from my IT department to create a site?
Most organizations let anyone with a Microsoft 365 account create sites, but some restrict this to certain people. Check with your IT department or organization's policies first. If you cannot find the Create site button, your account may not have permission.
How many people can I add to a site?
There is no hard limit on site members. SharePoint sites can handle thousands of users. However, if your site gets very large, performance may slow down. For very large groups, your IT department may recommend splitting into multiple sites or using Teams channels instead.
Can I delete a site after I create it?
Yes. Go to Site settings, scroll to the bottom, and click Delete site. You will be asked to confirm. Deleted sites go into a recycle bin for 93 days before permanent removal, so you can restore it during that time if you change your mind.