How to Create a Team in Microsoft Teams From Scratch (2026)

A team in Microsoft Teams is a shared space with its own channels, files and conversations, built around a project, a department or a client. If your business has outgrown a scattering of group chats and email threads, creating a team is how you give everything a home.

Microsoft's help covers creating a team from scratch on a computer or phone, and it's quicker than you'd think. The decisions that matter are the name, whether it's private or public, and what you call your first channel. I'll go through each, plus what to do if the option to create a team is missing.

Creating a team from scratch in Microsoft Teams on desktop

Microsoft's steps for the desktop app:

1. Select Chat (or Teams, if you use the separate Teams view).
2. Select New items, then New team.
3. Give your team a name.
4. Add a description if you like. It's optional but helps people know what the team is for.
5. Choose the privacy setting: Private or Public.
6. Name your first channel.
7. Select Create.

Microsoft says that as the creator you're the team owner, which means you can invite people and add more channels straight away.

Creating a team in Microsoft Teams on your phone

You can set up a team from the mobile app too. According to Microsoft:

1. Go to your teams.
2. Select More options in the upper-right corner.
3. Tap Create new team.
4. Name the team and add a description.
5. Choose the privacy level.
6. Invite people.

Choosing Private or Public for your Microsoft Teams team

This is the choice worth slowing down for. Microsoft describes the two like this:

Privacy setting	What Microsoft says it's for
Private	Limiting content and conversations to a certain group of people
Public	A topic that anyone in your organisation can join

For anything involving client work, staff matters or plans you're not ready to share, go private. A public team suits something like a company news feed, a social channel or a shared resources hub that everyone should be able to find.

Naming the first channel in your Microsoft Teams team

Every team starts with one channel. Microsoft says this first channel used to be called the General channel. You can rename it, but you can't archive or delete it, so it's going to be there for the life of the team.

I'd give it a name that works as the team's front door, such as Announcements or Start here. Then create separate channels for each strand of work, like Marketing, Orders or a channel per client project.

Inviting people to your new Microsoft Teams team

Once the team exists, you can start inviting people as the owner. Think about who needs to be in from day one and who can join later. A team with three active people feels busier and more useful than one with twenty who never post.

A sensible order for a small business:

1. Add the people who'll post most often.
2. Post a short welcome message in the first channel explaining what the team is for.
3. Create the channels you know you'll need, not every channel you might need.
4. Invite everyone else once there's something for them to read.

Other ways to create a team in Microsoft Teams

Creating from scratch isn't the only route. Microsoft's help mentions that you can also create a team from an existing team or group, or from a template. Those are handy if you want to copy a setup you've already got working, such as the channels you use for every new client, rather than rebuilding it each time.

How many teams you can own in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft says you can own up to 250 teams per account. Very few small businesses will come close, but it's a useful reminder that teams are meant to be set up deliberately rather than for every passing conversation. For a quick chat between a few people, a group chat is usually lighter.

If you can't create a team in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft's help is clear that your organisation can restrict who's allowed to create teams. If the New team option isn't there, or it won't let you finish:

1. Check you're signed in with your work or school account, not a personal one.
2. Look under Chat or Teams for New items, depending on how your Teams view is set up.
3. Update the Teams app and restart it.
4. Ask your IT admin whether team creation is limited to certain people.
5. If you run your own small business account, check the settings in your Microsoft admin centre or ask Microsoft support.

Getting the most out of your Microsoft Teams team

A team works best when there's a clear rule for what goes where. Chat for quick questions, channels for ongoing work, meetings when something needs a live back-and-forth. Write that down in your first channel and you'll save hours of 'where did we put that?' later.

If you're thinking about automating some of the routine posts and updates, my piece on real AI automation examples for marketing teams is a good starting point. And before you add an AI note-taker to every team meeting, read why AI meeting notes can make teams lazier.

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a team in Microsoft Teams?

Select Chat or Teams, select New items, then New team. Name the team, add an optional description, choose Private or Public, name your first channel and select Create.

Can I create a team in Microsoft Teams on my phone?

Yes. Go to your teams, select More options in the upper-right corner, tap Create new team, then name it, add a description, choose the privacy level and invite people.

What's the difference between a private and public team?

Microsoft says a private team limits content and conversations to a certain group, while a public team is for a topic anyone in your organisation can join.

Can I delete the first channel in a team?

No. Microsoft says you can rename the first channel, which used to be called General, but you can't archive or delete it.

Why can't I create a team in Microsoft Teams?

Your organisation can restrict who creates teams. If the option is missing, check with your IT admin.