Permission & Access Issues

Difference Between an Owner and a Site Owner in SharePoint

Elise Williams Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to understand the distinction between being a SharePoint site owner and a Microsoft 365 group owner, specifically regarding access to connected services like Teams and Outlook.

Difference Between an Owner and a Site Owner in SharePoint

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Assigning administrative or owner roles in a SharePoint site that is connected to a broader Microsoft 365 group.
Observed behavior: Both roles grant Full Control to the SharePoint site, but only the Microsoft 365 Group Owner automatically receives access to associated group services like Microsoft Teams and Outlook.

Before you start

Determine whether the user needs access to connected Microsoft 365 services like Teams and Outlook, or if they only require administrative control over the SharePoint site files and pages.

Solution 1Recommended

Distinguishing Between Group Owners and Site Owners

Understand how permission scopes differ so you can assign the correct level of access to your team members.

While both roles provide Full Control over the SharePoint site, their scope across the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem is distinctly different.

A user added to the Microsoft 365 group receives Full Control on the connected SharePoint site and also becomes an owner of the associated group. Conversely, a user added directly as a SharePoint site owner receives Full Control only for the site collection and is not added to the broader Microsoft 365 group services.

Assigning a Microsoft 365 Group Owner

Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center or the Teams interface to add the user to the Microsoft 365 group's Owners list. This grants them full access to the SharePoint site, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook group email.

Assigning a SharePoint-Only Site Owner

Go to your SharePoint site's permission settings. Add the user directly to the 'Site Owners' group. This restricts their Full Control access exclusively to the SharePoint site collection.

Distinguishing Between Group Owners and Site Owners

Granting Additional Access: If you added a user as a SharePoint site owner but they later need access to Teams or Outlook group emails, you must add them separately to the Microsoft 365 group.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can a SharePoint site owner manage the associated Microsoft Team?

No, a user added strictly as a SharePoint site owner does not automatically get management rights or access to the associated Microsoft Team. They must be added to the Microsoft 365 Group to manage Teams.

How do I upgrade a site owner to a Microsoft 365 group owner?

You can upgrade their access by navigating to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, locating the specific group associated with the SharePoint site, and adding the user to the group's Owners list.

Do both roles have the ability to delete the SharePoint site?

Yes, because both roles possess Full Control permissions on the SharePoint site, either an M365 Group Owner or a direct Site Owner has the technical ability to delete the site collection.

Which role should I use for external contractors?

If the contractor only needs to manage files and pages within SharePoint, assign them as a SharePoint site owner. If they need to participate in Teams chats and manage Outlook group emails, they require M365 Group access.

Document & File Issues