Security Policy Errors

Does Disabling Security Group Creation Block SharePoint Sites?

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is inquiring whether disabling the ability for standard users to create Microsoft Entra security groups will also prevent them from creating SharePoint team sites.

Product: Microsoft 365 / SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An administrator is configuring Microsoft Entra security policies and needs to understand how group creation restrictions impact SharePoint team site provisioning.
Observed behavior: Disabling the creation of Microsoft Entra security groups does not successfully block users from creating SharePoint team sites.

Before you start

Ensure you have Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator privileges in your Microsoft 365 tenant to view and modify group creation policies.

Solution 1Recommended

Modify Microsoft 365 Group Creation Settings Instead

Because SharePoint team sites are tied to Microsoft 365 groups rather than security groups, you must restrict Microsoft 365 group creation to block team site creation.

The setting 'Users can create security groups' exclusively governs standard security groups in Microsoft Entra. It does not have any direct influence over the creation of SharePoint team sites.

SharePoint team sites are intrinsically connected to Microsoft 365 groups. To effectively prevent users from creating these sites, you must adjust the self-service group management settings that control whether users can create Microsoft 365 groups.

Sign in to the Admin Center

Log into the Microsoft Entra admin center or the Microsoft 365 admin center using an account with administrator permissions.

Navigate to Group Settings

Locate the Groups settings section where self-service group management policies are configured for the tenant.

Review Microsoft 365 Group Policies

Check the specific policy that controls whether standard users can create Microsoft 365 groups. This is a separate toggle from the security group creation setting.

Restrict Group Creation

Update the Microsoft 365 group creation permissions to restrict access to a specific administrative security group, thereby blocking standard users from generating new groups and connected SharePoint team sites.

Reference Microsoft Learn Documentation: For detailed instructions and the required PowerShell commands to restrict Microsoft 365 group creation to a specific security group, consult the official Microsoft Learn article on self-service group management.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can standard users still create SharePoint sites after I disabled security group creation?

SharePoint team sites rely on Microsoft 365 groups, not Microsoft Entra security groups. Disabling security group creation only prevents the creation of security groups, leaving Microsoft 365 group and connected site creation unaffected.

How do I completely block users from creating any SharePoint sites?

To block team sites, you must restrict Microsoft 365 group creation using PowerShell. To block communication sites, you must modify the site creation settings directly within the SharePoint admin center.

Does disabling Microsoft 365 group creation affect existing SharePoint sites?

No. Disabling the ability for standard users to create Microsoft 365 groups only prevents new groups and connected team sites from being created. Existing sites and groups remain fully functional and accessible.

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