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How to Set the SharePoint Start Page as the Default Homepage

Steve K Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The administrator wants to configure the Microsoft 365 SharePoint environment so that users are automatically directed to their personalized SharePoint start page after signing in, rather than a specific site homepage.

How to Set the SharePoint Start Page as the Default Homepage

Product: Microsoft 365 SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An IT administrator is attempting to change the default landing page behavior for all users upon logging into the SharePoint environment.
Observed behavior: The SharePoint environment opens a specific site homepage by default, and there is no out-of-the-box setting available to make the personalized SharePoint start page the default landing page globally.

Before you start

Ensure you have SharePoint Administrator or Global Administrator privileges in your Microsoft 365 tenant. Because this requires a custom deployment, familiarity with the SharePoint Framework (SPFx) is highly recommended.

Solution 1Recommended

Deploy a Custom SharePoint Framework (SPFx) Solution

Since Microsoft does not provide a native toggle for this requirement, administrators must use a custom SPFx application customizer to redirect users to the personalized start page.

Microsoft SharePoint currently prioritizes organizational communication sites for default landing pages. Consequently, there is no out-of-the-box setting to force all users to land on the personalized SharePoint start page (/_layouts/15/sharepoint.aspx).

To achieve this globally, developers can build and deploy a custom SharePoint Framework (SPFx) extension. This extension can intercept the user's navigation to the root site and redirect them to their personalized dashboard.

Consult the SharePoint Development resources

Navigate to the official Microsoft Learn documentation or the SharePoint Development Q&A forum to find deployment guides for SPFx extensions.

Develop an Application Customizer

Create a new SPFx Application Customizer designed to check the current URL and execute a JavaScript redirect to the personalized SharePoint start page URL if the user lands on the root site homepage.

Package and deploy the solution

Package your SPFx solution and upload it to your SharePoint Tenant App Catalog. Ensure you select the option to make the solution available to all sites in the organization.

Enable the extension

Activate the Application Customizer globally using PowerShell or the site collection features so that the redirection logic applies to all users logging into the environment.

Deploy a Custom SharePoint Framework (SPFx) Solution

Development Requirement: Custom development requires careful planning and testing. Always test your SPFx extensions in a dedicated development or sandbox tenant before deploying them to your production environment to prevent login loops.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the default landing page behavior in Microsoft 365 SharePoint?

By default, when users navigate to the base SharePoint URL for their organization, they are typically directed to a designated root site homepage or an organizational intranet portal configured by the IT administrator.

Can individual users set their own SharePoint start page?

While users cannot change the global organizational redirect, they can simply bookmark their personalized SharePoint start page URL (typically ending in /_layouts/15/sharepoint.aspx) in their web browser for direct access to their frequent sites and news.

Why is there no built-in global toggle for the personalized start page?

Microsoft designs the default SharePoint experience to prioritize centralized organizational communication, such as a main intranet site. Redirecting all users to an individualized page requires overriding this centralized architecture, which is why it currently requires a custom SPFx solution.

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