How to Create a SharePoint Site in Microsoft 365 (2026)

Creating a SharePoint site starts with a Microsoft 365 work or school account, not a personal Microsoft account. The fastest route is the SharePoint home page, but Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, and the admin center can also create the site depending on how your organization is set up.

Use the SharePoint path first when you need a new site directly, then use the app-specific options when the site should be tied to a team, shared library, or Microsoft 365 group.

1. Start from the SharePoint home page

This is the main path for creating a new SharePoint site in Microsoft 365.

1. 1.Sign in to Microsoft 365 with your work or school account.
2. 2.Open SharePoint.
3. 3.On the SharePoint home page, select + Create site.
4. 4.Choose Team site or Communication site.
5. 5.Pick a Template, then select Use template.
6. 6.Enter the Site name and Site description.
7. 7.Choose the Privacy level and default Language when those fields appear.
8. 8.Select Create site.
9. 9.Add owners and members, then select Share or Go to site.

Choose Team site for collaboration. Choose Communication site for publishing news, resources, or updates to a wider audience.

2. Pick the site type before you build

A Team site creates a Microsoft 365 group, which makes it the right starting point for departments, project groups, and teams that need shared membership. A Communication site does not create a Microsoft 365 group, so use it when the site is mainly for announcements, resources, and one-way sharing.

For most collaboration searches around how to create a SharePoint site, Team site is the choice that matches the job.

3. Use SharePoint Build when it appears

1. 1.From the SharePoint home page, select Build on the app bar.
2. 2.On the SharePoint Build home page, go to Start building.
3. 3.Select the Site card.
4. 4.Choose Team site or Communication site.
5. 5.Select a template, then choose Use template.
6. 6.Enter the Site name, Site description, Sensitivity label, Privacy level, and default Language fields that appear.
7. 7.Select Create site.
8. 8.Add owners and members, then select Go to site.

Some Microsoft 365 tenants show Microsoft’s preview SharePoint Build experience. Use it only when the Build option appears in the SharePoint app bar. Microsoft labels this route as preview only. The regular + Create site path remains the standard route to know.

4. Create the site through Microsoft Teams

Teams creates a SharePoint team site in the background when you create a new team from scratch. It also creates a OneNote notebook for that team.

1. 1.In Teams, select Chat on the left, or select Teams in the separate view.
2. 2.Select New items above the chat or channel list.
3. 3.Select New team.
4. 4.Enter the team name and description.
5. 5.Choose Private or Public, plus any Sensitivity label shown.
6. 6.Name the first channel.
7. 7.Select Create.

Private and shared channels get their own SharePoint channel sites. Standard channels use folders in the parent team site.

5. Make one from a OneDrive shared library

1. 1.Go to onedrive.com with your work or school account.
2. 2.In the left pane, find Shared libraries.
3. 3.Select Create shared library.
4. 4.Enter the library name.
5. 5.Add people under Members.
6. 6.Open Advanced settings to set the Site and email address, Privacy settings, Sensitivity, and default language fields your tenant shows.
7. 7.Select Create.
8. 8.Select Go to site.

OneDrive for work or school can create a shared library, and that shared library creates a SharePoint site. This path depends on your organization allowing shared libraries and site creation from OneDrive.

6. Build a site by creating an Outlook group

Outlook can create a Microsoft 365 group, and a work or school Microsoft 365 group gets a SharePoint team site. Personal Outlook.com groups do not get SharePoint or Planner resources.

In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, select Groups in the left app bar, select New Group on the ribbon, then select New Group in the dropdown. Enter the group name, email address when shown, description, and privacy settings, then select Create.

In classic Outlook, use Home, then New Group.

7. Ask an admin to create it for you

Use this route when workplace controls block self-service site creation.

1. 1.Ask a SharePoint Administrator or Global Administrator to open the SharePoint admin center.
2. 2.Go to Active sites.
3. 3.Select Create.
4. 4.Choose Team site, Communication site, or Browse more sites.
5. 5.Select a template, then choose Use template.
6. 6.Enter the site name, owner, language, and other required settings.
7. 7.Select Create site.

Workplaces control who can create SharePoint sites. When + Create site, New team, or Create shared library is missing, use the admin-created route. Admins can also start from the Microsoft 365 admin center by going to Resources, then Sites, then Add a site. That shortcut opens the same Active sites creation flow in the SharePoint admin center.

8. Avoid old subsite and Stsadm instructions

Old SharePoint tutorials often point to Settings, Site contents, and new subsite. In Microsoft 365, subsite creation works only when an admin enables it, uses classic templates, and sits behind Microsoft’s recommendation to use hub sites instead.

For SharePoint Server on-premises, farm administrators create site collections through Central Administration or SharePoint Management Shell. Do not use Stsadm for new site creation work; use SharePoint Management Shell PowerShell cmdlets instead. Stsadm is deprecated in older SharePoint Server versions and was removed entirely from SharePoint Server Subscription Edition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a SharePoint site with a personal Microsoft 365 account?

No. SharePoint site creation requires a Microsoft 365 work or school account, SharePoint in Microsoft 365, or SharePoint Server.

Why do I not see the Create site button in SharePoint?

Your organization controls site creation. A SharePoint or Microsoft 365 admin can create the site from Active sites or enable site creation for allowed users.

Does creating a Microsoft Teams team create a SharePoint site?

Yes. Creating a new team from scratch in Microsoft Teams creates a corresponding SharePoint team site and OneNote.

What is the difference between a team site and a communication site?

A team site creates a Microsoft 365 group for collaboration. A communication site does not create a Microsoft 365 group and works best for publishing information.

Can I create multiple SharePoint sites with PowerShell?

Yes. SharePoint admins can use SharePoint Online Management Shell with New-SPOSite, including CSV-based bulk creation for multiple sites.