Deleting a Teams team removes it permanently from your workspace

When you delete a Microsoft Teams team, the team itself disappears along with all its channels, messages, files, and settings. The action is permanent — Microsoft does not keep a recovery copy after 30 days. Before you delete, read or save anything you need to keep, because once it is gone, you cannot undo the deletion through Teams itself.

Only team owners can delete a team. If you are a member but not an owner, you will not see a delete option. The person who created the team is automatically an owner, but ownership can be transferred to other members beforehand.

Key Takeaways

  • Only a team owner can delete a team, and the deletion is permanent after 30 days with no recovery option.
  • Before deleting, save any files or messages you need by downloading them or moving them to another location.
  • The delete option appears in the team settings menu, which you access by clicking the three dots next to the team name.
  • Microsoft keeps deleted team data for 30 days in case you change your mind, but after that period it is gone forever.
  • If you only want to leave the team without deleting it, you can remove yourself as a member instead.

How to access the team settings menu

Open Microsoft Teams and find the team you want to delete in the left sidebar. Hover your mouse over the team name until three dots appear to the right of it. Click those three dots to open a menu with options for that team.

From that menu, select Manage team. This opens the team settings page where you can change the team name, description, picture, and other details. The delete option is on this page, usually near the bottom.

Finding and using the delete option

Once you are in the Manage team settings, scroll down until you see a section labeled Delete the team or straightforward Delete. Click the delete button. Teams will ask you to confirm that you want to delete the team — this is your final note to stop the process.

Read the confirmation message carefully. It will tell you that all team data will be deleted and that you have 30 days to change your mind. If you are certain, click the confirmation button to proceed. The team will disappear from your sidebar when ready.

What happens to files and messages after deletion

All messages posted in the team channels are deleted. All files uploaded to the team are deleted. Any shared documents, spreadsheets, or other content stored in the team's SharePoint site are deleted. Pinned messages, saved files, and team notebooks all disappear.

If other people have downloaded files from the team to their own computers, those local copies remain on their devices. But anything stored only in Teams is gone. This is why you should ask team members to save what they need before you delete.

The 30-day grace period and permanent deletion

After you delete a team, Microsoft keeps the data for 30 days. During this window, a global administrator for your organization can restore the team if you change your mind. After 30 days, the data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered by anyone.

If you are the only owner and you delete the team, you will need to contact your organization's global administrator if you want it restored within those 30 days. They have the ability to recover deleted teams, but only within the grace period.

Removing yourself from a team without deleting it

If you do not want the team to exist anymore but you are not sure about permanent deletion, you can leave the team instead. Hover over the team name, click the three dots, and select Leave the team. This removes you as a member but leaves the team intact for other owners and members.

If you are the only owner and you leave, the team will remain but no one will be able to manage it. Before leaving, transfer ownership to another member by going to Manage team, finding the Members section, and clicking the three dots next to another member's name to promote them to owner.

Transferring ownership before deletion

If you want to delete the team but another person should have the chance to save team data first, transfer ownership to them. In the Manage team settings, go to the Members section. Find the person you want to make owner, click the three dots next to their name, and select Make an owner.

Once they are an owner, they can delete the team themselves, or they can manage it going forward. You can have multiple owners on a single team, so you do not have to remove yourself to give someone else ownership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a team after I delete it?

Within 30 days of deletion, your organization's global administrator can restore the team. After 30 days, permanent deletion occurs and recovery is not possible. Contact your IT department or administrator when ready if you need a team restored.

What if I am not the team owner?

Only owners can delete a team. If you want the team deleted, ask the owner to do it. If the owner is no longer with your organization, contact your global administrator, who can transfer ownership or delete the team on your behalf.

Do deleted teams affect my storage quota?

After permanent deletion at 30 days, the storage used by the team is released and counts toward your organization's available storage again. During the 30-day grace period, the data still counts against your quota.

Can I delete a team if it has archived channels?

Yes. Archived channels are still part of the team, and deleting the team deletes all channels, archived or active. Archiving a channel does not protect it from team deletion.

What happens to Teams apps and integrations when I delete the team?

Any apps, bots, or integrations connected to the team are removed along with the team. If those apps store data outside of Teams, that external data may remain depending on the app's own data policies.