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In Microsoft Teams, “group” can mean two different things:
- A team: a shared workspace with channels, files, meetings, and apps.
- A group chat: a private conversation with several people.
Use a team for ongoing collaboration, such as a department or project. Use a group chat for a quick conversation that does not need a full workspace.
Create a team in Microsoft Teams
The desktop and web versions of Teams use nearly the same steps.
- Open Microsoft Teams.
- In the left sidebar, select Teams. If Teams and channels are combined in your version, open the Teams and channels view.
- Select the + button or Join or create a team.
- Select Create team.
- Choose From scratch, or select a template such as Manage a project or Onboard employees.
- Choose the team’s privacy setting:
- Private: only owners can add members.
- Public: people in your organization can find and join the team.
- Enter a descriptive Team name. Add a description if people may need help deciding whether the team is relevant.
- Select Create.
Teams then prompts you to add members. Enter names, email addresses, or distribution lists, select the matching people, and choose Add. You can also select Skip and add people later.
Give the team a useful structure
Every new team starts with a General channel. Create additional channels for separate subjects instead of putting every discussion in General.
- Find the team in the Teams list.
- Select More options (…) > Add channel.
- Enter the channel name and an optional description.
- Choose the channel type:
- Standard: visible to everyone in the team.
- Private: visible only to selected team members.
- Shared: can include people outside the team, depending on your organization’s settings.
- Select Create.
Examples of practical channels include Announcements, Planning, Support, and Project files. Avoid creating a separate channel for every small topic; too many channels make the team difficult to navigate.
Create a group chat
If you only need a multi-person conversation, create a group chat instead of a team.
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- Open Chat in Teams.
- Select New message or the compose icon near the search bar.
- In the To field, enter the names, email addresses, or phone numbers of at least two people.
- After adding the participants, select the down arrow or Add a group name option near the recipient list.
- Enter a name for the chat, such as Website launch planning.
- Type the first message and select Send.
Naming the chat makes it easier to find later and helps distinguish it from one-to-one conversations. You can add more people by opening the chat, selecting the participant list at the top, and choosing Add people.
Add or remove members from a team
Add members
- Open Teams.
- Find the team and select More options (…) > Add member.
- Search for the person by name or email address.
- Select the person, then choose Add.
Depending on your permissions, you may be able to add only people in your organization. External participants may be added as guests if guest access is enabled by your Microsoft 365 administrator.
Change a member to an owner
- Open the team’s More options (…) menu.
- Select Manage team.
- Open the Members tab.
- Open the role menu beside the person’s name.
- Select Owner.
Owners can manage membership and team settings. Give this role only to people who need that responsibility.
Remove a member
- Open More options (…) > Manage team.
- On the Members tab, find the person.
- Select the X or the removal option beside their name.
- Confirm the removal.
Removing someone from a team does not necessarily remove them from other Teams chats, meetings, or files they can access through another route.
Use the right type of group
| Need | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ongoing project work | Team | Provides channels, shared files, meetings, and permissions. |
| Short discussion with several people | Group chat | Starts quickly without creating a workspace. |
| Separate workstreams | Channels inside a team | Keeps related conversations and files together. |
| Mail-enabled membership and shared Outlook features | Microsoft 365 group | Uses Outlook and Microsoft 365 group features; it is related to, but not identical to, a Teams group chat. |
Why you may not see “Create team”
Your organization may restrict team creation to administrators or selected users. The button can also be hidden when your account does not have permission to create teams.
Ask your Microsoft 365 administrator to create the team or enable team creation for your account. An administrator may also limit who can add guests, create private channels, or use shared channels.
Tips before creating a team
- Check for an existing team first. Duplicate teams split files and conversations.
- Use a specific name. “Marketing” is less useful than “Marketing — Product Launch 2026.”
- Set ownership. Have at least two responsible owners so the team is not unmanaged when one person leaves.
- Choose privacy deliberately. A private team is harder to discover, while a public team exposes its content to people in the organization who join.
- Plan channels around work. Channels should represent projects, functions, or topics that people will revisit.
FAQ
Is a Teams group the same as a team?
No. A team is a collaboration workspace with channels and shared resources. A group chat is a conversation involving multiple people. Microsoft 365 groups are a separate membership and collaboration feature that can be connected to services such as Outlook and SharePoint.
How many people can be in a Teams group chat?
Microsoft Teams supports large group chats, but the exact limit can depend on Microsoft’s current service limits and your organization’s configuration. For a long-running project or a large membership, create a team instead of relying on a chat.
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Yes. In the Teams mobile app, use the Teams area to create a team if your account has permission, or open Chat and use the new-message button to start a group chat. Menu labels can vary slightly between Android and iPhone versions.
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Can I add someone outside my company to a team?
You may be able to add them as a guest, provided guest access is enabled by your organization. Enter the person’s complete external email address when adding members. External access and guest access are controlled by Microsoft 365 administrators.
What happens when I delete a team?
Deleting a team removes its associated workspace and can remove its channels, conversations, files, and connected resources. Use the team’s archive option when you need to preserve the content but stop new activity.
The Bottom Line
Create a team when people need a shared workspace with channels and files. Create a group chat when they only need a private, multi-person conversation. In both cases, choose a clear name, add the correct members, and check your organization’s permissions if the creation option is missing.
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