If you’ve just started using Microsoft Teams or your organization has recently migrated to it, the first thing you’ll probably want to do is create a team. It sounds simple, but there are actually a few different ways to do it, and picking the right method can save you a lot of time and setup effort later.
In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through every method available to create a Team in Microsoft Teams, explain when to use which one, and share a few tips I’ve picked up along the way.
What Exactly Is a “Team” in Microsoft Teams?
Before we jump into the steps, let me quickly explain what a team actually is because this trips up a lot of new users.
A team in Microsoft Teams is essentially a shared workspace. Think of it like a project room where you and your colleagues can chat, share files, hold meetings, and organize work all in one place.
Inside every team, you have channels, which are like separate topic-based rooms within that workspace. For example, you might have a team called “Marketing” with channels for “Social Media,” “Campaigns,” and “Analytics.”
Understanding this structure helps you decide how to set up your team from day one.
Before You Create a Team
A couple of things worth checking first:
- Do you have permission to create teams? Some organizations restrict who can create teams. If you hit a wall, check with your IT admin.
- Does a similar team already exist? It’s worth searching for existing teams before creating a new one, especially in larger organizations. Microsoft Teams allows you to own up to 250 teams per account, so duplicates can pile up fast.
Create a Team in Microsoft Teams
Now I will tell you how to create a team in Microsoft Teams.
Method 1: Create a Team from Scratch
This is the most common method. Use this when you’re starting fresh and don’t have an existing group or team to build on.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams
Launch the Microsoft Teams desktop app or go to teams.microsoft.com in your browser. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
Step 2: Navigate to the Chat or Teams section
On the left sidebar, click on Chat (in the combined view) or Teams (if you’re using the separate view). You’ll see your current list of chats, channels, and teams.
Step 3: Click “New items”
At the top of your list, you’ll see a New items button (it looks like a pencil or a “+” icon depending on your Teams version). Click it.
Step 4: Select “New team”
From the dropdown, click New team. You’ll land on the team creation screen.
Step 5: Name your team
Give your team a clear, descriptive name. Something like “HR Department” or “Project Phoenix Q2” works better than just “Team 1.” You can also add an optional description—I’d recommend it because it helps others understand what the team is for, especially in larger organizations.
Step 6: Choose the privacy type
This is an important step. You have two options:
- Private — Only people you invite can join. This is the default setting and is ideal for project teams, department-specific groups, or any team where you want to control membership.
- Public — Anyone in your organization can find and join the team. Good for company-wide topics, knowledge sharing, or communities of interest.
Pick based on who needs access. When in doubt, go with Private — you can always change it later.
Note: If your organization has set up sensitivity labels (for data classification), you’ll also see an option to apply one here. This is more common in enterprises with strict compliance requirements.
Step 7: Name your first channel
Teams requires you to name at least one channel before creating the team. By default, it suggests “General” — and that’s fine to keep. You can rename it later, and you’ll add more channels once the team is created.
Step 8: Click “Create”
Hit Create, and you’re done. Your new team will appear in your Teams list within a few seconds.