Archive Teams and Folders in Microsoft Teams

Questions

• How do I keep files and conversations from a Team I no longer use?
• How can I reduce the number of active Teams showing in my app?
• Will a Team I no longer use be deleted automatically?
• How do I archive a Microsoft Team?
• How do I restore an archived Team?
• Can I archive a specific folder instead of the whole Team?
• How do I make a SharePoint folder read-only?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff who own or belong to a Microsoft Team. Archiving a whole Team requires Team owner permissions. Teams themselves can be archived as a whole; archiving specific folders within a Team is done through SharePoint and uses different steps.

Resolution

What archiving means

Archiving a Team puts the entire Team into a read-only state:

• All conversations and files remain available to team members.
• Members can view and download files but cannot post new messages or edit files.
• Archived Teams appear labeled as such and reduce clutter in the Teams app.
• Team owners can restore an archived Team anytime to resume activity.

For specific folders, although a folder cannot be archived like a Team, its contents can be protected by making the folder read-only or moving it to an archive directory in SharePoint.

Archive a Team

1. From combined chat and channels or the separate teams view, select More list options
2. Select Your teams and channels to be taken to the Your teams page.
3. Under All, find the name of the team to archive, point to it to reveal the controls, then select More options > Archive team

To prevent people from editing the content in the SharePoint site associated with the team, select Make the SharePoint site read-only for team members (team owners will still be able to edit this content).

What happens to files in an archived Team

• Files remain stored in the team's connected SharePoint site and are viewable in read-only mode.
• Members cannot upload or edit files while the Team is archived.
• Admins or owners can manage files and permissions directly through SharePoint.

Restore an archived Team

1. From combined chat and channels or the separate teams view, select More list options
2. Select Your teams and channels to be taken to the Your teams page.
3. Locate the archived team under the Archived section.
4. Select More options (⋯) and select Restore.

Archive specific folders

A folder cannot be archived in Microsoft Teams or SharePoint in the same way as a Team. However, Team owners can use these methods to "archive" folders:

• Make an "Archive" folder or channel read-only:
  1. Create an "Archive" folder or channel.
  2. Go to the Teams channel's Files tab and select Open in SharePoint.
  3. Find the folder, select More options (⋯), then Manage access.
  4. Select Groups and change the Team Members group permissions from "Can edit" to "Can view" to prevent changes.
• Move folders and files to the archive folder:
  1. A Team owner can move inactive files and folders into read-only archive folders.
  2. Team members can view the files but cannot delete, modify, or download them.

Team expiration policy

• A Team or archived Team remains active if it is used or accessed at least once every 180 days.
• If inactive, Microsoft 365 sends warning emails to the Team owners 30, 15, and 1 day before deletion.
• If no action is taken, the Team and its contents are deleted.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

• Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
• Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
• In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
• Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.