Why Is the Blog Template Missing in SharePoint Online? Solutions & Workarounds
Question details
Users are unable to locate the classic blog template when attempting to create a new blog site in SharePoint Online.
- Product
- SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating a new blog site using the traditional SharePoint templates.
- Observed behavior
- The classic SharePoint blog template is completely missing from the interface and no longer available as an option for new sites.
Verify your SharePoint administrator permissions, as you will need appropriate rights to create modern Communication sites and configure web parts.
Use a Communication Site with News Posts
Since Microsoft removed the classic blog template in July 2020, the official recommendation is to use a modern Communication site combined with the News web part to create a blog-style experience.
Microsoft deprecated the classic SharePoint blog template to encourage the adoption of modern, responsive design features. The modern approach uses a standard Communication site and leverages 'News posts' as individual blog entries.
Navigate to the SharePoint start page, click 'Create site' in the upper left corner, and select 'Communication site'. Follow the prompts to name and initialize your site.
On your new site's homepage, click the 'New' button and select 'News post'. You can choose a blank or predefined template, write your blog content, and click 'Post news' when finished.
To display your posts in a blog-style feed, edit your site homepage and add the 'News' web part. Configure the layout to list style or side-by-side to mimic a traditional blog layout.
Draft Your Blog Content Offline with WPS Office
While managing your modern SharePoint blog, you may prefer to draft and review your articles offline. WPS Office is a lightweight, highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office that lets you create text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations seamlessly.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free installer for your Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system.
- 2. Draft Your Content: Open WPS Writer to draft your blog articles offline, utilizing its comprehensive formatting and spell-check tools.
- 3. Copy or Upload: Once your draft is finalized, simply copy the text into your modern SharePoint News post, or save it as a .docx file to upload to your SharePoint document library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still access my old classic SharePoint blog sites?
Yes, classic blog sites that were created before Microsoft removed the template on July 17, 2020, will remain accessible and functional. However, you can no longer create new sites using that template.
Is it possible to download the blog template from a third party?
No, it is highly discouraged. Microsoft officially deprecated the classic blog template for SharePoint Online. Attempting to force-install old templates can lead to site instability and security risks.
How do I migrate my old blog posts to the new Communication site?
To migrate content, you will need to manually recreate your old classic blog posts as modern News pages on the new site, or use the SharePoint modernization scanner and third-party migration tools to transform classic pages into modern pages.
