How to Add the Discussion Board App to a SharePoint Communication Site
Question details
The user wants to add a Discussion Board app to a SharePoint Communication site, but the app is currently unavailable or missing from the app list.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to add communication and collaboration apps to a newly created or existing SharePoint Communication site.
- Observed behavior
- The Discussion Board app does not appear in the available apps list for the communication site, even though administrators can add it to other site types.
Ensure you have Site Administrator or Site Owner permissions for the SharePoint Communication site, as modifying site features requires elevated privileges.
Activate the Team Collaboration Lists Feature
By default, classic list templates like the Discussion Board are disabled on Communication sites. Enabling the Team Collaboration Lists feature restores them to the app menu.
SharePoint Communication sites are primarily designed for broadcasting information, which is why two-way collaboration apps are hidden by default. Activating the relevant site feature will unhide these options.
Go to your SharePoint Communication site and click the gear icon in the top right corner to open Site settings.
Under the 'Site actions' category, click on 'Manage site features'.
Scroll down the list until you find 'Team Collaboration Lists'. Click the 'Activate' button next to it.
Return to the Site contents page, click 'New', and select 'App'. The Discussion Board app should now be available to add to your site.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Discussion Board app missing by default on SharePoint Communication sites?
Communication sites are designed primarily for broadcasting information rather than two-way collaboration. Therefore, classic collaboration features like the Discussion Board are hidden by default to keep the interface streamlined.
Can any user activate the Team Collaboration Lists feature?
No. Only users with Site Owner or Site Administrator permissions can access the 'Manage site features' menu and activate hidden lists or apps on a SharePoint site.
Are there modern alternatives to the classic Discussion Board in SharePoint?
Yes. Microsoft generally recommends using Yammer (Viva Engage) web parts or Microsoft Teams integrations for modern, threaded discussions on Communication sites instead of the classic Discussion Board app.
