How to Create a Microsoft 365 Group in the Admin Center

A Microsoft 365 group brings people, conversations, files, and shared resources together around a project or ongoing team. Creating it centrally helps you set clear ownership, membership, privacy, and email settings from the start.

Choose a group instead of a shared mailbox

A Microsoft 365 group is useful when people need shared conversations, a group inbox, a calendar, and collaboration resources. A shared mailbox is usually better when the primary need is a common customer-facing address with delegated access. Use the model that matches the work rather than creating both by default.

1. Open Active teams and groups

1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
2. Expand Teams & groups.
3. Select Active teams & groups.
4. Select Add Microsoft 365 group.

Microsoft notes that users can create groups from Outlook and other apps, but administrators can create, delete, add members, and customize groups from the admin center. [1]

2. Enter the group basics

1. On the Basics page, enter a clear group name.
2. Add a description that explains the group’s purpose.
3. Select Next.

Use a name that will still make sense after the project expands. Include the team, function, or service name rather than a person’s name when the group is intended to outlive a single owner.

3. Add at least two owners

1. On the Owners page, choose one or more owners.
2. Select Next.

Owners manage the group. Microsoft notes that group owners can delete email from the group inbox, while ordinary members cannot delete messages they did not initiate. Use at least two owners so the group is not orphaned when one person is unavailable. [1]

4. Add the initial members

1. On the Members page, choose the people who need access.
2. Select Next.

Add only the people who need the group’s conversations and resources. You can add more members later, but starting with a focused membership list reduces accidental information exposure.

5. Configure the group settings

1. Enter a unique email address for the group.
2. Choose the group privacy option.
3. Decide whether to add Microsoft Teams.
4. Select Next.

Choose privacy based on the information the group will contain. A private group is appropriate when membership should be controlled. A public group may be suitable for broad internal collaboration, but confirm the organization’s sharing policy first. Microsoft says the group email domain can be changed after creation. [1]

6. Review and create the group

1. Review the name, description, owners, members, email address, privacy, and Teams choice.
2. Correct any errors.
3. Select Create group.
4. Select Close.

Refresh the admin center if the new group does not appear immediately.

7. Add or change membership later

1. Refresh the Active teams and groups page.
2. Select the new group.
3. Open the Membership tab.
4. Select Members and then Add members.
5. Select the users and choose Save.

Review owners and members regularly. Remove access when people leave the project, and transfer ownership before an owner changes role.

8. Configure the group after creation

After creation, review whether external senders can email the group and whether members should receive copies of group conversations. Also configure guest access, naming conventions, expiration, and retention according to the organization’s policies. The group will appear in Outlook with the assigned members.

Common mistakes

• Creating a group with only one owner.
• Choosing public privacy for a group that will contain sensitive project information.
• Using a vague name that cannot be found later.
• Adding every employee instead of defining the working membership.
• Forgetting to review external sender and guest settings.

Sources

1. Microsoft Learn: Create a group in the Microsoft 365 admin center
2. Microsoft Learn: Manage a Microsoft 365 group