What Happens to SharePoint Sites During a Root Site Swap?
Question details
The user wants to know if other SharePoint Online site collections will experience downtime or become unavailable when the tenant root site is being replaced.
- Product
- SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Performing a SharePoint Online root site replacement (root site swap).
- Observed behavior
- Ensuring uninterrupted access to other site collections and the SharePoint start page during the administrative process.
Ensure you have the necessary global administrator or SharePoint administrator privileges before initiating a root site replacement in the SharePoint admin center.
Understand Site Availability During a Root Site Swap
Clarification on what remains accessible and what experiences temporary downtime during the process.
When you swap the SharePoint Online root site, the process is designed to minimize disruption to your tenant. Testing and official documentation confirm that swapping the root site does not cause a tenant-wide outage. Other SharePoint site collections remain fully functional and accessible to users.
However, the current root site and the newly designated replacement root site may experience temporary unavailability while the URL routing is updated.
Navigate to any other SharePoint site collection. These will remain accessible and operational throughout the root site swap.
The main SharePoint start page remains active and accessible to users, ensuring they can still find their frequently visited sites.
Expect brief HTTP 404 errors or redirection delays specifically on the original root site and the new target site while the background swap process completes.
Seamlessly Edit Documents Across Cloud Storage with WPS Office
While SharePoint manages your enterprise sites, WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative to Microsoft Office for editing your Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files natively. It integrates smoothly with various cloud storage platforms.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your operating system.
- 2. Install the application: Run the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the lightweight installation process.
- 3. Open and edit cloud documents: Launch WPS Office, sign in, and open your synced cloud documents directly to enjoy seamless editing with high Microsoft format compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a SharePoint root site swap take?
The time required for a root site swap depends on the size and complexity of the sites involved, but the actual URL redirect usually takes only a few minutes. Full search indexing for the newly swapped site may take slightly longer.
Can I revert a root site swap if something goes wrong?
There is no direct 'undo' button. If you need to revert, you must perform another root site swap, swapping the current root site back with the archived original root site.
Will users lose permissions during a root site replacement?
No, site permissions are retained during the swap. The target site replaces the root site URL, but its existing permissions and content structures remain intact.
Does a root site swap affect OneDrive for Business?
No, user OneDrive for Business URLs and files are completely separate from the tenant root site and are not impacted during a root site swap.
