SharePoint Document Issues

How to Access the SharePoint Document Center Site Template

Adam Davis Oct 7, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is unable to find the Document Center template or the 'Browse more sites' option when trying to create a new SharePoint site.

How to Access the SharePoint Document Center Site Template

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a new SharePoint site and attempting to select the Document Center template.
Observed behavior: Only the Team Site and Communication Site templates are displayed, and the 'Browse more sites' option is missing from the standard site creation menu.

Before you start

Ensure you have Microsoft 365 administrator privileges, as creating sites from specific enterprise templates like the Document Center requires SharePoint admin access.

Solution 1Recommended

Create the Site via the SharePoint Admin Center

Use this method to access all available SharePoint site templates, including the Document Center, through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

Standard users creating a site from the SharePoint start page are restricted to modern Team and Communication sites. To access classic or specialized templates like the Document Center, an administrator must initiate the site creation process from the backend.

Sign in to Microsoft 365

Go to https://portal.office.com in your web browser and sign in with your administrator credentials.

Open the Admin Center

Click on the app launcher (waffle icon) in the top-left corner and select 'Admin' to open the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Navigate to SharePoint Admin

In the left-hand navigation pane, locate the 'Admin centers' section and click on 'SharePoint' to open the SharePoint admin center.

Access Active Sites

In the SharePoint admin center, expand the 'Sites' menu on the left and select 'Active sites'.

Select Browse More Sites

Click the 'Create a site' button at the top of the Active sites list. Instead of choosing a Team or Communication site, click on 'Browse more sites' to locate and select the Document Center template.

Create the Site via the SharePoint Admin Center

Missing Admin Tile: If you do not see the 'Admin' tile in your app launcher, your account does not have the necessary permissions. You must contact your organization's Microsoft 365 administrator to create the site for you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can I only see Team Site and Communication Site options?

By default, the standard SharePoint start page restricts standard users to creating modern Team and Communication sites. Accessing specialized enterprise templates requires navigating through the SharePoint admin center.

What is a SharePoint Document Center?

A Document Center is a specialized SharePoint site template designed for managing large volumes of documents. It features advanced document routing, versioning controls, and robust retention policies tailored for enterprise archiving.

Who do I contact if I don't have the Admin tile in Microsoft 365?

You should contact your organization's Microsoft 365 global administrator or IT support team. They can either grant you the appropriate SharePoint administrator role or create the Document Center site on your behalf.

Document & File Issues