File Management within Teams

Microsoft Teams is a collaborative platform facilitating file sharing and collaboration among team members and chat participants. The Files tab, positioned on the left side of Teams or at the top of each channel or chat, provides a centralized location for accessing shared documents.

  • Files shared within a channel are stored in the team's SharePoint folder.
  • Files shared within a private or group chat are stored in the OneDrive folder.

Users can add new files, upload existing ones, or simply drag and drop files directly into the Files tab, streamlining the file management process and collaboration within Microsoft Teams.

Create a New File
Upload a File from Your Computer
Download a File from Microsoft Teams
Rename a File or Folder
Delete a File or Folder
Sharing Files
Searching for Files
Version History

Create a New File

  1. Go to the channel where you want to create the file and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Click New and choose the type of file you want to create (Word, PowerPoint, or Excel).
  3. Enter your document name and click Create.
  4. Enter your document content.
  5. When finished, click Close.
  6. To collaborate on a file with your team members, you can co-edit the file in Teams or the corresponding Microsoft 365 application.

Upload a File from Your Computer

  1. Go to the channel where you want to upload the file and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Click Upload > Files and double-click the file you want to share from your computer.
  3. The file will appear in the Files tab, and you can open it in Teams or the corresponding Microsoft 365 application.
  4. To share the file with your team members, you can either mention them in a conversation or copy the link to the file and send it to them.

Download a File from Microsoft Teams

  1. Go to the channel where you want to download the file and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Click the circle next to the file to download. Then click Download (you may need to click ... to see Download).

Rename a File or Folder

  1. Go to the Files tab in the channel where the file is located.
  2. Click the circle next to the file to rename.
  3. Then click Rename (you may need to click ... to see Rename).
  4. Rename the file and click the Rename button.

Delete a File or Folder

  1. If you want to delete a file you shared in a channel, you can go to the Files tab in the channel, select the circle next to the file, and click Delete.
  2. If you want to delete a file you shared in a chat, you can delete the chat message that includes the file.
  3. If you want to recover a file you deleted from a channel, you can go to the Files tab in the channel, select Open in SharePoint at the top of the page, and then select Recycle bin on the left side. There, you can find the file and restore it.

Sharing Files

  1. To share a file with your team in a channel, click the Attach icon beneath the box where you type your message in a channel. Choose the file from your OneDrive, your computer, or the Teams and Channels folder. You can also drag and drop the file into the message box. The file will appear in the Files tab of the channel, and anyone in the team can access it.
  2. To share a file with someone in a chat, click the Attach icon beneath the box where you type a message in a chat. Choose the file from your OneDrive, your computer, or the Microsoft Teams Chat Files folder. You can also drag and drop the file into the message box. The file will appear in the Files tab of the chat, and anyone in the chat can access it.
  3. To share a file with people outside your team, you can either send them a link or attach the file to an email. To get a link to the file, open the file in Teams and select Share at the top right corner of the window. Then, choose the type of link you want to create and copy it. You can paste the link in an email or a message and send it to anyone.

Searching for Files

  1. You can use the search box at the top of Teams and type a word or name related to the file. You can also use Ctrl+F (cmd+F on macOS) to search messages that contain the file within a chat or channel. Another option is to click the Files icon on the left menu ribbon to see your files.
  2. You can filter your search results by selecting the Files tab and using the filters for Team, File Type, Modified by, and Date. You can also use the More Filters feature to specify more criteria, such as mentions, subtitles, or attachments.
  3. You can use search operators to refine your search results, such as from:, to:, subject:, and has:attachment. For example, you can type from:Lauren ,has:attachment to find files that Lauren sent you or shared.

Version History

To use version history for files in Microsoft Teams, you need to access the SharePoint site that stores the files of the team. Version history allows you to see and restore previous versions of a file, compare different versions, or recover a file that was deleted or overwritten. Here are some steps to use version history in Microsoft Teams:

  1. Go to the channel where the file is located and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Select Open SharePoint at the top right corner of the window. This will open the SharePoint library in a new tab.
  3. Find the file you want to see the version history of and select More options next to the file name. Then select Version History from the drop-down menu.
  4. You will see a list of all the file versions and the date, time, and user who modified it. You can select a version and choose View, Restore, or Delete.
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