How to Use SharePoint in Microsoft 365

SharePoint is where many work and school Microsoft 365 accounts keep team sites, document libraries, pages, news, and shared files. The confusing part is that you can reach the same content from SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Outlook, and mobile apps. Start with the route that matches what you need to do, then use the exact buttons below to open, edit, share, sync, or publish.

1. Open SharePoint from Microsoft 365

1.Go to m365.cloud.microsoft.
2.Sign in with your work or school account.
3.In the upper-left corner, hover over or select the Copilot icon to expand the navigation.
4.Select the nine-dot App launcher icon, then select SharePoint.

Use the Microsoft 365 app launcher when you do not know your organization’s SharePoint address. If you already have the site address, open it directly in your browser. Many organizations use a format like https://organization.sharepoint.com, then ask you to sign in. SharePoint is a work and school service; a personal Microsoft account works only after an organization grants that account access to one of its SharePoint sites.

2. Find the right site before opening files

The SharePoint start page is the best place to find what you already have access to. Use the Search box at the top when you know a file name, keyword, person, or project. SharePoint search results show content based on your permissions.

For browsing, use Frequent sites, Following, Recent, Featured links, and Saved for later. When a site is worth keeping close, open it and select Not following in the upper-right area. To remove it from followed sites later, select Following.

3. Use document libraries for everyday files

A SharePoint document library is the working area for files. Open the site first, then open the library where the file belongs.

1.To upload existing items, select Upload, then choose Files or Folder. Pick the items and select Open or Upload. You can also drag files from File Explorer or Finder into the library page.
2.To create a file in the browser, select New, then choose Word document, Excel workbook, PowerPoint presentation, OneNote notebook, Forms for Excel, or Link when that option appears in your library.
3.To create another library, select New, choose Document library, pick Blank library, From existing library, or From template, enter the required details, and select Create.

Select a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file to open it in Microsoft 365 for the web. Edit in the browser when you have permission. To use the desktop app, select Open, then choose Open in app or Open in desktop app.

4. Sync libraries or add OneDrive shortcuts

1.Open the SharePoint document library.
2.Select Sync.
3.When prompted, select Open Microsoft OneDrive.
4.Sign in and let OneDrive set up the library.

Use Sync when you want a SharePoint library to appear on your computer through the OneDrive sync app. On Windows, the synced library appears in File Explorer under your organization name. On Mac, it appears in Finder under Locations. Microsoft’s current SharePoint sync method is the OneDrive sync app.

Use Add shortcut to OneDrive for a shortcut instead. Open the library and select Add shortcut to OneDrive to add the entire library, or select a specific folder first to add just that folder. Access that shortcut from OneDrive on the web, File Explorer, Finder, or the OneDrive mobile app. Choose either Sync or Add shortcut to OneDrive for the same content.

SharePoint sharing sends people to the cloud file instead of creating another copy.

1.Open the SharePoint library.
2.Select the file or folder.
3.Select Share.
4.Choose link settings when the sharing panel offers them.
5.Enter names, groups, or email addresses.
6.Add an optional message.
7.Select Send or Copy link.

To check who already has access, select the file or folder, open Details or More actions, then select Manage access. Review Links giving access and Direct access. Use the available controls to stop sharing, change permissions, or copy a link. Your organization’s sharing policy controls which link and external-sharing choices you see.

6. Build sites, lists, pages, and news

Create a team site when the space is for collaboration. From SharePoint, select + Create site, choose Team site, select a template when offered, select Use template, enter the site name and required details, select Next, add owners and members, then select Finish.
Create a communication site when the space is for publishing information. Select + Create site, choose Communication site, choose a template, select Use template, enter the site name and required details, then select Finish.
For a list, open the site, select New, choose List, pick Blank list, From Excel, From existing list, or a template, enter the list details, and select Create.
For a page, open the site, select New, choose Page, pick a template, add a page name and web parts, select Save as draft, then select Publish.
For a web part, edit the page, hover above or below an existing web part or under the title region, select +, choose a web part, configure it, then select Republish or Publish.
For news, open the site, select New, choose News post, choose a template, add the title, text, images, and web parts, then select Post news.

When + Create site is missing or blocked, your Microsoft 365 or SharePoint admin controls site creation for the organization.

7. Work through Teams, Outlook, and mobile

Use the Microsoft app that matches where the work is happening.

In Microsoft Teams, standard channel files are stored in SharePoint. Open Teams, select a team and channel, then select Shared (previously Files) to upload, open, share, or organize files. Select Open in SharePoint when you need the full library in the browser.
To pin SharePoint content in a Teams channel, select + at the top of the channel, choose SharePoint or Lists, select the page, list, or document library, then select Save.
In Outlook, create a message, attach or link to a file stored in SharePoint or OneDrive, use the link-permission prompt or dropdown to choose who can access it, then send the message.
On iPhone, iPad, or Android, install Microsoft SharePoint from the official app store, open it, and sign in with your work or school account. Use Find, News, and Sites to open content, follow sites, and access files. In the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app, use the Search tab to find recent files, because full file browsing and Office editing are moving out of that app; for browsing and managing your SharePoint-backed files, use the OneDrive mobile app, and editing opens the dedicated Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps.

8. Recover versions and track changes

When you need an older version of a file, open the document library, select the file, select Version history, open the menu for the version you want, and select Restore. This works in libraries where versioning is enabled.
For controlled editing, select the file, open More or the ellipsis, select More, then choose Check out. After editing, return to the same menu path, select Check in, and add comments when prompted.
To get change notifications, use Rules or Power Automate, because Microsoft is retiring SharePoint alerts. New alert creation was turned off for all tenants in January 2026, and existing alerts stop working starting July 2026. For a rule, open the list or library, select Automate, then Create a rule, choose a condition such as when a column changes, customize the underlined parts and whom to notify, then select Create. For document-specific or more detailed notifications, build a Power Automate flow instead.

9. Ignore outdated SharePoint methods

Skip the older tools for current SharePoint in Microsoft 365. Do not use SharePoint Workspace 2010 for current SharePoint in Microsoft 365. Office 2010 support ended on October 13, 2020, and SharePoint Workspace belongs to that older era.

Do not set up the old OneDrive for Business sync app, also known as Groove.exe, for modern SharePoint libraries. Use the current OneDrive sync app from the Sync button instead.
SharePoint Designer 2013 is also not a normal current consumer path for using SharePoint; modern SharePoint customization guidance uses supported modern extensibility instead.
SharePoint Server 2019 reached its support end date on July 14, 2026. For current day-to-day use, rely on SharePoint in Microsoft 365, SharePoint Server Subscription Edition sites provided by your organization, and the current Microsoft apps listed above.