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Microsoft Teams has two different areas you may want to rearrange: the app bar on the far left and the list of teams below Teams. They use different controls.
- App bar: Pin, unpin, and drag apps such as Activity, Chat, Calendar, or OneNote.
- Teams list: Drag whole teams into a different order. Their channels move with them.
- Chat and channel tabs: Add or remove apps inside a specific conversation or channel; this does not pin the app to the left sidebar.
The steps below apply to the current Teams desktop and web apps. Microsoft’s support instructions do not provide a separate mobile procedure for rearranging the left app bar.
Rearrange pinned apps on the Teams sidebar
The app bar is the vertical strip on the left side of Teams. It contains shortcuts to apps you use frequently.
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Pin an app
- On the left side of Teams, select View more apps.
- Find the app you want to add to the sidebar.
- Right-click the app icon.
- Select Pin.
The app is added to the left app bar. Depending on your Teams layout and window width, you may need to open the expanded app bar to see all of the pinned items.
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Change the order of pinned apps
- Find the app icon on the left side of Teams.
- Click and hold the icon.
- Drag it up or down to the desired position.
- Release the mouse button.
You can reorder everything displayed on the left app bar by dragging the icons. For example, you could place Chat, Calendar, and Files above less frequently used apps.
Unpin an app
- Right-click the app’s icon on the left sidebar.
- Select Unpin.
Unpinning removes the shortcut from the app bar. It does not necessarily uninstall the app from Teams or remove it from chats, channels, or teams where it is being used.
Show or hide app names
The current simplified Teams app bar hides app labels by default. This can make the sidebar narrower, but it also means you may need to identify apps by their icons.
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- Select Settings.
- Open Appearance.
- Turn Show app names on or off.
Turn the setting on if you prefer a more readable sidebar with names beside the icons. Turn it off if you want a compact, icon-only layout. Microsoft lists the simplified app bar change under its April 2026 Teams release notes.
Automatically collapse the app bar
If the app bar takes up too much space, Teams can collapse it automatically.
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- Select Settings and more.
- Select Settings.
- Select Appearance.
- Turn Auto collapse app bar on or off.
You can also reach the app-bar appearance controls directly. Select Expand app bar, press Ctrl+, or right-click the app bar and select Customize app bar.
Reorder teams and their channels
Rearranging the app bar does not change the order of the teams shown in the Teams list. To move a team:
- Select Teams on the left.
- Select the team’s name.
- Click and hold the team.
- Drag it to another position in the teams list.
- Release it when the insertion line appears in the desired location.
Moving a team also moves every channel belonging to that team. You cannot use this operation to move one channel independently of its team. Microsoft’s current support information says that separate chat and channel reordering is still forthcoming, so instructions claiming that this is already generally available are premature.
Find a team in Hidden teams
Teams may appear under Your teams or under Hidden teams at the bottom of the list. Teams can automatically move teams you have not visited for several weeks into Hidden teams. New activity can still update a hidden team.
To restore one:
- Scroll to Hidden teams.
- Hover over the team you want to restore.
- Select More options (…).
- Select Show.
After it is visible again, drag the team into the position you want.
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Manage apps added in different locations
Pinning an app to the sidebar is only one possible location. An app may also be installed in a chat, channel, or team, and those locations are managed separately.
- Select Apps on the left side of Teams.
- Select Manage your apps.
- Find the app in the list.
- Expand its row to view the locations where it is installed.
- Select Remove beside the specific location you want to change.
Removing an app from one location removes it only from that selected location. It does not remove the app everywhere else.
If you see Information instead of Remove, your account does not have permission to manage that app. Hover over the Information icon for more details.
Add or remove an app tab in a chat or channel
To add an app inside a conversation or channel:
- Open the chat or channel.
- At the top, select Add a tab (+).
- Select the app you want to add.
- Complete any setup steps shown by the app.
That creates a tab at the top of the selected chat or channel. It does not add a shortcut to the left sidebar.
To remove the tab, select the app tab, select the dropdown arrow beside its name, and select Remove.
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What you can and cannot customize
| Area | What you can do | What the change affects |
|---|---|---|
| Left app bar | Pin, unpin, and drag apps | Your app shortcuts |
| App-bar appearance | Show or hide names; enable or disable automatic collapse | The sidebar’s labels and width |
| Teams list | Drag teams into a different order | The team and all of its channels |
| Chat or channel tabs | Add or remove app tabs | Only that chat or channel location |
| Mobile app | Use the shared teams list, but not the desktop reorder operation | Teams list changes made in desktop or web Teams |
Practical sidebar layouts
For a compact work layout, unpin apps you rarely open, turn off Show app names, and leave Auto collapse app bar enabled.
For a more discoverable layout, turn on Show app names and put your daily tools near the top. A useful order might be:
- Activity
- Chat
- Teams
- Calendar
- Files
- Your organization’s specialist apps
For project work, move the teams you actively use to the top of the Teams list. Remember that moving a parent team also moves its channels, so check the resulting order before rearranging several teams.
If dragging does not work
- You are dragging the wrong object: Drag an app icon to change the app bar, or drag the team name to change the teams list.
- The app is not pinned: Open View more apps, right-click the app, and select Pin before trying to move it.
- The team is missing: Check Hidden teams, then use More options → Show.
- You are trying to move one channel: Current Microsoft guidance says moving a team also moves its channels; separate channel ordering is not generally documented as available.
- You are on mobile: Make the teams-list change in Teams for desktop or the web. The mobile app shares the list but does not provide the reorder operation described by Microsoft.
- Remove is unavailable: In Manage your apps, an Information button usually means your account lacks permission to manage that app.
FAQ
How do I rearrange apps in the Microsoft Teams sidebar?
On desktop or web Teams, drag the app icons on the left side into the order you want. To add an app first, select View more apps, right-click the app, and select Pin.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHow do I remove a pinned app from Teams?
Right-click the app icon on the left sidebar and select Unpin. This removes the shortcut; it does not necessarily uninstall the app or remove it from chats and channels.
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Why are app names missing from my Teams sidebar?
The simplified app bar hides labels by default. Go to Settings and more → Settings → Appearance and turn on Show app names.
Can I rearrange individual channels in Teams?
Microsoft’s current guidance says that dragging a team also moves all of its channels. It still describes separate chat and channel reordering as forthcoming rather than generally available.
Can I rearrange the Teams sidebar on my phone?
Microsoft documents the app-bar pinning procedure for Teams but does not provide a separate mobile procedure for pinning and reordering those left-sidebar apps. To reorder the teams list, use Teams desktop or the web app; the mobile app shares the resulting list.
What is the difference between pinning an app and adding a tab?
Pinning puts an app shortcut in the left app bar. Adding a tab puts the app at the top of one particular chat or channel. The two actions are independent.
The Bottom Line
Use drag-and-drop for the left app bar and for the Teams list, but treat them as separate controls. Pin or unpin apps from the sidebar, adjust labels and collapsing under Settings → Appearance, and move whole teams when you need to change the team order. Adding an app tab to a chat or channel does not pin it to the sidebar.
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