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Does Changing a Microsoft Teams Team from Public to Private Remove Members?

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if changing a Microsoft Teams group's privacy setting from public to private will result in existing members being removed from the team.

Product: Microsoft Teams
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing team privacy settings and evaluating the impact on current membership.
Observed behavior: The user needs clarification on whether changing the privacy setting triggers automatic removal of existing team members.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary Team Owner permissions in Microsoft Teams to view or modify team privacy settings before proceeding.

Solution 1Recommended

Understanding Microsoft Teams Privacy Changes

Clarification on what happens to existing members when a team's privacy is changed from public to private, along with steps to modify the setting.

Changing a Microsoft Teams team from public to private changes access rules for non-members, but it does not remove any existing members.

When you make a public team private, anyone who is already a member of the team will remain a member and keep their full access to channels, files, and chats. However, people within your organization who are not members will no longer be able to freely join the team without approval.

Open Team Settings

Navigate to Microsoft Teams, find the team you want to modify in your teams list, and click the 'More options' (three dots) icon next to the team name.

Edit Team

Select 'Edit team' from the dropdown menu to open the team's settings and details dialog.

Change Privacy

Locate the 'Privacy' dropdown menu and change it from 'Public - Anyone in your org can join' to 'Private - Only team owners can add members'.

Save Changes

Click 'Done' or 'Save' to apply the new privacy settings immediately.

Access restriction: While existing members are unaffected, non-members who previously viewed public team content will immediately lose access once the team becomes private.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can non-members still search for a private Microsoft Team?

By default, private teams are searchable, meaning people in your organization can find them but must request to join. Team owners can change discoverability settings to hide the team from search results entirely.

Do team members get notified when a team is changed from public to private?

No, Microsoft Teams does not send a direct notification to existing members when a team's privacy setting is changed. They simply retain their current access without interruption.

How do I change a private team back to public?

Click the 'More options' (three dots) next to the team name, select 'Edit team', change the privacy setting drop-down back to 'Public', and click 'Done' to save your changes.

Who has permission to change a team's privacy setting?

Only team owners and IT administrators with the appropriate administrative privileges can change a Microsoft Teams team from public to private or vice versa.

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