Creating Teams and Channels in Microsoft Teams

Introduction

Channels are spaces within a team where members can collaborate on specific topics, projects, or tasks. Each channel includes its own conversations, files, and apps related to that focus area.

Tip When you create a new channel, Microsoft Teams automatically creates a corresponding folder in the team’s SharePoint site to store all files shared in that channel.

How to Create a Microsoft Teams Channel

1. Open Microsoft Teams using the desktop app or a web browser.

2. Click the Teams icon on the left-hand navigation menu.

Note If you're taken directly into a specific team and it's not the one you want, click < All teams in the top-left corner to return to the team overview. Select your desired team from the list.

3. Find your team, click the ellipsis (⋯) next to its name, and select Add channel.

4. Enter a channel name and, optionally, a description.

5. Choose the privacy level:

- Standard: Everyone in the team has access.
- Private: Only selected team members can access the channel. (More about Private channels below.)

6. Click Create.

Creating a Private Channel

If you need a space within your team for confidential discussions or restricted collaboration, you can create a Private Channel. Only designated members will be able to access the content within this channel, and it will not be visible to the rest of the team.

Note Only Team Owners can create and manage private channels. Members must be explicitly added to gain access.

Important When you create a private channel, Microsoft Teams automatically generates a separate SharePoint site to store its files—completely isolated from the main team's SharePoint site. This private site has its own membership and permission settings.

1. Follow the same steps outlined in the Creating Channels section.

2. At Step 5, set the Privacy option to Private – Accessible only to a specific group of people within the team.

3. Add the members you want to include in the channel by name or email address.

4. Click Create.

Your private channel is now ready to use. It functions just like a standard channel, but with restricted access. Files, chats, and tabs are visible only to the invited members.

For more details on roles and permissions, see:
Add People to a SharePoint Site (insert your internal or Microsoft link)

To explore how private channels work in more depth, visit:
Overview of Teams and Channels in Microsoft Teams – Microsoft Learn

Using Your New Channel

You can now start conversations and share files within the newly created channel. To access shared files, simply click on the Files tab at the top of the channel.

If you want to view these files directly in SharePoint, click the ellipsis (⋯) next to the channel name and select Open in SharePoint.

Channel feature comparison

The following table shows a comparison of Teams features for each channel type.

Features	Standard channel	Private channel	Shared channel
People can be added to the channel without adding them to the team.	No	No	Yes
Channel membership can be limited to a subset of the team.	No	Yes	Yes
Channel can be shared directly with other teams.	No	No	Yes
Channel can be shared directly with its parent team.	N/A	No	Yes
Guests can participate in the channel.	Yes	Yes	No
External participants (B2B Direct Connect) can participate in the channel.	No	No	Yes
Moderation	Yes	No	No
Copy link to channel	Yes	No	No
Each channel has a dedicated SharePoint site.	No	Yes	Yes
Scheduled meetings	Yes	No	Yes
Planner	Yes	No	No
Bots, connectors, and messaging extensions	Yes	No	No
Supported in class teams	Yes	Yes	No
Tags	Yes	No	No
Analytics	Yes	Yes	No

Need Assistance?

If you need help creating channels or navigating Microsoft Teams, we’re here to support you. Contact us using the button below. Whether it’s a quick question or a more complex setup, our team is ready to help you get the most out of Teams.

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