Microsoft Teams has become a crucial tool for remote collaboration, allowing you to work together efficiently even when you are not in the same place as your team. One of the most important features that make Teams so potent is its ability to generate channels. This article will take you through what is a channel in Teams and how it functions. Keep reading to learn more!
How to Create Channel in Teams
Creating a channel in Microsoft Teams helps you organize and streamline communication within your team or organization. Additionally, it provides a dedicated space for specific topics, projects, or departments. Here, we have given a full detailed guide on how to create a channel in Microsoft Teams.
Quick Answer
To create channel in Teams, follow these steps:
1. Launch Teams app and navigate to the team where you want to create the channel.
2. Click on the three dot icon next to the team name.
3. Select the Add channel option.
4. Add channel name and set the privacy settings for the channel.
5. Finally, click on Add.
Can you Create a Channel in Microsoft Teams?
Yes, you can create channels in Teams only if you are the owner of that particular channel. If the team is part of any organization, then there may be policies that restrict the creation of channels.
How to Create a Channel in Microsoft Teams
Channels also contain conversations, files, and meetings that the members of the channel share with each other. A General channel is assigned as default to each team. On creating a new channel, you can keep it Standard which is open to all by following the steps below:
1. Launch Microsoft Teams on your device.
2. Now, click on the Teams option from the left pane.
3. Next, click on the three dots next to the team’s name.
4. Now, select Add channel to add a channel.
5. Next, add a Channel name and keep the privacy to Standard.
6. Finally, click on Add to create a Standard channel.
Note: Alternatively, select the Manage team option and then add a channel in the Channels tab.
These steps will help you create up to 200 channels over the life of a team. This number includes channels that you create and later delete.
Also Read: How to Create a Group in Teams
How to Customize Channel Notification
Once you create a channel in Microsoft Teams, you can adjust or fine-tune the notifications that you receive from a channel. To make these customizations, follow the steps below:
1. Launch Microsoft Teams and go to the Teams option.
2. Click on the three-dots icon beside the General channel.
3. Now, select Channel notifications from the menu that will allow you to be notified of the channel activity.
4. Next, select Custom.
5. Now, click on the Banner and feed option and select it to get notifications on your device.
6. Selecting Only show in feed will skip sending notifications on your desktop and will only show up in your activity feed.
What are the Two Types of Channels in Teams?
Now, it is time to know what are the two types of channels in Teams. Teams can have Standard or Private channels.
1. Standard Channel
- It is open to all team members and anything posted in it is searchable by others.
- All members can create a standard channel. However, organization owners can change permissions and limit channel creation and permission for certain roles.
- It cannot be converted to a private channel and vice versa.
2. Private Channel
- It is not open to all team members.
- A team member must be invited to join a private channel.
- Any team member or owner can create a private channel and further add members to it.
- Guests cannot create a private channel.
- Private channels do not support Wikis, bots and apps, and scheduled channel meetings.
- A private channel is linked to the parent team and cannot be moved to a different team.
Apart from these, there is another channel for collaborating with people inside and outside your team or organization that is known as a Shared channel.
How to Create a Private Channel in Teams
If you want to have a focused place to discuss important and sensitive information such as resources, strategic positioning, and budgets, then you can opt to create a private channel for your team. A private channel can only be accessed by owners or members. If you don’t know how to create a private channel, then follow the steps given below:
Note 1: Up to 30 private channels can be created over the life of a team.
Note 2: Admin of the channel can change permissions and limit private channel creation to certain roles.
1. Launch Microsoft Teams and select Teams from the side panel.
2. Click on the More options icon and select Add channel.
3. Now, enter the name and description of the channel.
4. Next, in the Privacy section, select Private – Specific teammates have access option.
5. Finally, select Add to add the private channel.
How to Add a Guest or a Member to a Private Channel
You can also add or remove members and edit private channel settings as a private channel owner. If you already know how to create a channel in Teams, then add a new member to your private channel with the help of the following steps:
1. In Microsoft Teams, click on the More options icon next to the private channel name.
2. Next, click on Add members from the menu.
3. Now, access the Members and Settings tabs to add or remove members and assign roles.
4. Finally, select Done after which members will be able to post messages in the private channel.
Also Read: Can You Leave a Group Chat in Teams Without Anyone Knowing?
How to Permanently Delete a Private Channel
As easy as it is to create a channel in Teams, it is as convenient to delete it. On deleting a private channel, it will move to the deleted channel list. It is available in that list for 30 days. In these 30 days, you can easily restore the private channel. However, after 30 days, the channel will be deleted permanently. To delete a private channel, follow the steps below:
1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to the Private channel in the Teams tab.
2. Now, click on the three dots icon next to it.
3. In the drop-down menu, click on Delete channel.
Note: Alternatively, click on Manage team > Channels > three-dot icon > Delete this channel.
4. Click on Delete in the confirmation pop-up window.
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This brings us to the end of our guide on how to create a channel in Teams. We hope that all your queries and doubts about the channel feature were answered and you were able to create one for your members. If you have any other queries to ask or suggestions to give, you can leave them in the comments section below.