How to Create a Team and Add Members in Microsoft Teams

by admin · 06/07/2026

Applies to
Microsoft Teams for Windows, macOS, web, iPhone, Android, work, and school accounts

Last updated
6 July 2026

Problem

You want to create a new team in Microsoft Teams, but you are not sure where to start or how to add the right people. Some users create too many teams, add members to the wrong place, or confuse teams with channels and group chats.

Creating a team properly helps keep conversations, files, meetings, and project work organised in one shared space.

Solution

Create a team from the Teams section, choose the correct team type, name it clearly, then add members and owners. Once the team is created, use channels to organise different topics, departments, projects, or working groups.

Step by step instructions

Open Microsoft Teams

Open the Microsoft Teams app or go to Teams on the web:

https://teams.microsoft.com

Select Teams from the left side menu.

If you do not see the option to create a team, your organisation may restrict team creation.

Start creating a new team

In the Teams section, look for Join or create team.

Select Create team.

Depending on your organisation’s setup, you may see options to create a team from scratch, from an existing team, or from a Microsoft 365 group.

Choose the option that best matches your need.

Choose the team type

Teams may ask what type of team you want to create.

Common options include:

Private team
Public team
Organisation-wide team
Class team
Staff team
Professional learning community
Other education or organisation templates

For most projects or departments, a private team is usually best because only added members can access it.

Name the team clearly

Enter a clear team name.

A good team name should explain what the team is for.

Examples include:

Marketing Project Team
Finance Department
Year 7 Pastoral Team
Website Redesign Group
IT Support Team

Avoid vague names such as New Team, Test Team, or Project Group unless they are temporary.

Add a description

Enter a short description explaining the purpose of the team.

This helps members understand what belongs in the team and what should be discussed elsewhere.

A good description might include:

What the team is for
Who should use it
What type of files or conversations belong there
Whether the team is temporary or ongoing

Add members

After creating the team, Teams will ask you to add members.

Search for people by name or email address.

Select each person you want to add.

Add only the people who need access to the team’s conversations and files.

If you are adding external users, your organisation must allow guest access.

Set owners and members

Teams has different roles.

Owners can manage team settings, members, channels, and membership.

Members can participate in conversations, access files, and join meetings.

Choose owners carefully.

A team should usually have more than one owner so it can still be managed if one person leaves or is unavailable.

Create channels for organisation

Every team includes a general channel.

You can create extra channels for different topics.

Useful channel examples include:

Announcements
Planning
Meetings
Documents
Support
Project Updates
Training

Channels prevent one team from becoming a single cluttered conversation.

Review team settings

Open the team.

Select the three dots next to the team name.

Choose Manage team.

Review settings for:

Members
Owners
Channels
Apps
Tags
Permissions
Pending requests

Adjust settings based on how open or controlled the team should be.

Tell members how to use the team

After creating the team, post a welcome message in the General channel.

Explain:

What the team is for
Which channels to use
Where files should be uploaded
How questions should be raised
Who the team owners are

This helps prevent confusion from the start.

Optional methods or tools

Use https://teams.microsoft.com if the desktop app is unavailable
Create a team from an existing Microsoft 365 group if your organisation already uses one
Use templates if your organisation provides standard team layouts
Use tags to group members by role, department, or function
Ask your IT administrator if team creation is disabled for your account

Best practices or tips

Use clear team names that make sense long term
Add at least two owners to every important team
Create channels for topics rather than creating too many separate teams
Avoid adding people who do not need access to the files or conversations
Review membership regularly to keep access accurate

Creating a team in Microsoft Teams gives a group of people a shared space for conversations, meetings, files, and collaboration. A well named team with clear channels is much easier to manage than one large, unstructured chat.

Before creating a new team, consider whether the work belongs in an existing team, a new channel, or a group chat. With thoughtful naming, membership, and channel structure, Microsoft Teams becomes much easier to use across projects, departments, and organisations.