To create a SharePoint list, open the destination SharePoint site, select + New > List > Blank list, enter a name, and select Create. Then select + Add column to define the fields you need. These steps apply to SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365 and require permission to create lists on the destination site.
You can also start with a template, copy another list’s structure, or import an Excel table or CSV file. When creating through Microsoft Lists, choose the destination SharePoint site before finishing.
The short version
- Start blank: Open your SharePoint site and select + New > List > Blank list.
- Reuse a structure: Choose a template or select From existing list to copy columns, views, and formatting.
- Bring existing data: Select From Excel or From CSV in the creation dialog.
- Choose the destination: In Microsoft Lists, select the SharePoint site where you want to store the list.
| Starting point | What to choose | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| SharePoint home page | + New > List > Blank list | Build your own fields |
| Site contents | Settings > Site contents > + New > List | Use another entry point on the site |
| Built-in template | A template, then Use template | Start with a prepared structure |
| Another list | From existing list | Reuse structure without copying items |
| Excel workbook | From Excel | Import data formatted as a table |
| CSV file | From CSV | Import existing file data |
| Microsoft Lists | +New list | Create a list and choose its SharePoint destination |
| Phone browser | Lists through Microsoft Suite navigation | Open Lists from an iPhone or Android phone |
| Keyboard and screen reader | New list, then Create blank list | Complete creation using keyboard navigation |
Create a blank list on your SharePoint site
Open the SharePoint site where you want to store the list. Select + New, choose List, then select Blank list. Enter a name in Name and, optionally, add a Description.
Check Show in site navigation if you want the list included in the site’s navigation. Select Create to finish creating the list. Next, select + Add column to define its fields.
For another route to the creation dialog, select Settings > Site contents > + New > List. Choose Blank list, enter the name and optional description, and select Create. You can also use this Site contents route on classic SharePoint Online sites.
Start with a template
Choose a template when you want a prepared list structure. On your SharePoint site, select + New > List, then choose a template such as Issue tracker. Select Use template to continue.
Enter the list’s name and an optional description, color, and icon. When the creation dialog offers a destination choice, select the SharePoint site, then select Create.
Copy the structure of an existing list
Choose this option when another list already has the columns, views, and formatting you want. On the destination SharePoint site, select + New > List > From existing list. Choose the source site and list, then select Next.
Enter a new name and an optional description. Optionally, check Show in site navigation, then select Create. Your new list receives the source list’s columns, views, and formatting, but its list items are not copied.
Import an Excel table or CSV file
Use an import when you already have the data in a file. Open the creation dialog from + New > List on the destination SharePoint site. Choose From Excel for a workbook or From CSV for a CSV file.
Before importing an Excel workbook, make sure the data is formatted as a table. Microsoft specifies a 5,000-row limit for the Excel import. If your data is not yet in a table, format it as one before continuing.
Uploading a local Excel or CSV file also stores that file in the site’s Site Assets library. Select Upload file to choose the local file, or choose a file from OneDrive instead. For an Excel workbook, select the table you want to import.
Review the imported fields, then select Next. Enter the list’s name and choose the destination SharePoint site under Save to. Select Create to create the list from the file data.
For SharePoint Online, use From Excel when importing a workbook. Creating a list from an Excel spreadsheet is not available in the GCC High and DoD environments. Older instructions that use Import Spreadsheet describe a legacy workflow.
Choose the destination in Microsoft Lists
To start through Microsoft Lists, sign in to Microsoft 365 with your work or school account. Select App launcher > More apps > All apps > Lists. Select +New list and choose your creation option.
For a list that belongs to a SharePoint site, choose that site as the destination before selecting Create. When the dialog includes Save to, make the destination selection there. If you choose My lists, you use a different storage destination from the team’s SharePoint site.
Open Lists from your phone browser
On an iPhone or Android phone with an appropriate Microsoft 365 account, open your organization’s SharePoint root site in the browser. Tap the Microsoft Suite navigation icon, then select Lists. If you need the expanded app menu, select More apps > Lists.
Microsoft retired the native Microsoft Lists apps for iOS and Android in mid-November 2025 and recommends the mobile web version instead, so use the mobile browser route. The retired apps can no longer be installed or used.
Create a list with a keyboard and screen reader
In the Lists web app or Windows desktop app, press Tab until you reach New list, then press Enter. Press Tab to reach Create blank list and press Enter. Enter the list’s name.
Press Tab to reach Save to, then press Enter. Use the Arrow keys to choose the SharePoint site and press Enter. Finally, press Tab to reach Create and press Enter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there limits when creating a list from an existing list?
Yes. Your source list cannot have more than 80 views. Only its first two automated rules are copied to the new list.
Will changes in Excel automatically update a list exported from Excel?
No. If you use Export Table to SharePoint List in Windows desktop Excel for Microsoft 365 or Excel 2024, subsequent workbook edits are not synchronized automatically. That export creates a new SharePoint list.
Can creating a Microsoft Lists form also create a list?
Yes. Start form creation from Lists home, SharePoint, or Lists in Teams and design the form and its fields. Microsoft automatically creates the underlying list for responses.
Can you create a list in the installed Microsoft Lists desktop app?
Yes. You can install the Microsoft Lists desktop app for Windows from the Lists web app. Where the installation prompt appears in the Lists web app, select Install, then open the installed app. Select New list, choose a creation method, enter a name, choose the SharePoint site under Save to, and select Create.
