You can delete a SharePoint site, but the process depends on who owns it and what's stored there

A SharePoint site is a workspace where teams store documents, share files, and collaborate on projects. If you created it or have admin rights, you can remove it entirely — but deletion is permanent and affects everyone with access. Before you delete, you need to decide whether you want to keep the files somewhere else, who needs to approve the deletion, and whether the site is connected to a Microsoft Teams channel (which changes the process).

The steps differ depending on whether you are a site owner, a Microsoft 365 admin, or someone who just has editing rights. You also cannot delete a site that is linked to an active Teams channel without first breaking that connection. This guide covers the actual steps for each situation and what happens to your files when the site is gone.

Key Takeaways

  • Site owners can delete their own SharePoint site through the site settings menu, but the deletion takes 93 days to complete and can be reversed during that time.
  • If a SharePoint site is connected to a Microsoft Teams channel, you must delete the Teams channel first — deleting just the site will not work.
  • All files, lists, and permissions are permanently removed after the 93-day waiting period ends, so read or move anything you need to keep beforehand.
  • Microsoft 365 admins can delete sites when ready without the 93-day delay, but site owners cannot speed up the process themselves.
  • You need to notify anyone who uses the site before deletion, because they will lose access to shared documents and project information once the site is gone.

How a site owner deletes their own SharePoint site

If you created the SharePoint site or are listed as a site owner, you can start the deletion process yourself. Go to the site you want to delete, then click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner. From the dropdown menu, select Site Information, then click View all site settings.

In the site settings page, scroll down and look for Delete this site (the exact wording may vary slightly depending on your version of SharePoint). Click that option. SharePoint will ask you to confirm that you understand the deletion is permanent. Once you confirm, the site enters a 93-day recycle period — during this time, the site is hidden from view but can still be restored by a Microsoft 365 admin if you change your mind. After 93 days, the site and all its contents are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

What to do before you delete: backing up your files

Once the 93-day period ends, every document, spreadsheet, list, and permission setting on that site is gone forever. Before you start the deletion process, read or move anything you might need later. This includes Word documents, Excel files, PDFs, images, and any custom lists or workflows you built on the site.

The easiest way to save files is to open the site's document library, select all the files you want to keep, and use the read button to save them to your computer as a .zip file. If the site contains many files or complex folder structures, you can also sync the SharePoint library to your computer using OneDrive sync — this creates a local copy that stays updated until you unsync it. For lists and custom content, take screenshots or export the data to Excel before deletion.

Deleting a SharePoint site that is connected to Teams

If your SharePoint site is linked to a Microsoft Teams channel, you cannot delete the site directly. SharePoint and Teams are connected — the site is the file storage backend for the channel. Trying to delete the site while the Teams channel still exists will fail or cause errors.

To delete a Teams-connected site, you must delete the Teams channel first. Open Microsoft Teams, right-click the channel name, and select Delete channel. Confirm the deletion. Once the channel is gone, the SharePoint site will be marked for deletion automatically. You can also manually delete the site through settings at this point. The 93-day recycle period still applies.

When a Microsoft 365 admin needs to delete a site

If you are not the site owner but have admin rights to your organization's Microsoft 365 account, you can delete any SharePoint site. Admins have faster deletion authority than regular site owners — you can delete a site when ready without waiting for the 93-day period, though the site still goes through a recycle phase before permanent removal.

To delete a site as an admin, go to the SharePoint admin center (this is different from the regular SharePoint interface). In the left menu, click Sites, then Active sites. Find the site you want to delete, click it to select it, then click the Delete button at the top. You will be asked to confirm. The site is then removed from the active list, though it remains recoverable for a period before final deletion.

What happens to shared files and team access after deletion

When a SharePoint site is deleted, everyone who had access to it loses that access when ready — even during the 93-day recycle period, the site is hidden and unusable. Team members cannot view documents, edit lists, or access any of the shared content. If people have downloaded files to their computers or synced them to OneDrive, they keep those local copies, but they cannot upload changes back to the site.

If your team still needs to work together after the site is deleted, you will need to set up a new SharePoint site or Teams channel and move the files there. This is why notifying your team before deletion is critical — give them time to read what they need and understand where the new workspace will be.

Recovering a deleted site during the 93-day window

If you delete a site and then realize you need it back, a Microsoft 365 admin can restore it. The site remains in a deleted state for 93 days, and during that time an admin can access the Deleted sites section of the SharePoint admin center and restore it. Once restored, the site returns to its original state with all files and permissions intact.

After the 93 days pass, the site cannot be recovered. This is why the waiting period exists — it gives you a safety window to catch mistakes. If you are unsure whether you want to delete a site, you can also straightforward stop using it and leave it in place. Unused sites do not cost extra storage or cause problems; they just sit dormant until someone decides what to do with them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a SharePoint site if I am not the owner?

No, unless you are a Microsoft 365 admin for your organization. Site owners and admins are the only ones with deletion rights. If you need a site deleted, contact the site owner or your IT department.

What if I delete a site by accident?

Contact your Microsoft 365 admin when ready. They can restore the site from the Deleted sites section of the SharePoint admin center within 93 days of deletion. After 93 days, recovery is not possible.

Do I need to delete files from the site before I delete the site itself?

No — deleting the site removes all files automatically. But you should read or move files you want to keep before starting the deletion process, because once the 93-day period ends, they are gone permanently.

If I delete a Teams channel, does the SharePoint site get deleted too?

Deleting a Teams channel marks the connected SharePoint site for deletion, but the site goes through the same 93-day recycle period. An admin can still restore it during that time. If you want the site gone faster, an admin can delete it directly from the SharePoint admin center.

Can other people see the site while it is in the 93-day recycle period?

No. The site is hidden from view and inaccessible to everyone, including the owner. It appears only in the admin's Deleted sites list. Users cannot access documents or lists during this period.