I'm trying to wrap my head around the file ownership and permission settings in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Specifically, I need to change the ownership of a folder within a Teams channel where we're collaborating on files. Even though Teams and SharePoint are supposed to have distinct functions, accessing and managing permissions seems quite chaotic. I can reach the folder through Teams and adjust some settings there, but any advanced options take me to the SharePoint site linked to the team. I can also access these files through OneDrive, but I'm struggling to edit ownership permissions like you would in a standard SharePoint site. Can anyone clarify how this mess works?
2 Answers
You're not alone in feeling confused! Basically, Teams relies on SharePoint for file storage, which is where the permissions are managed. The permissions you see are tied to the Microsoft 365 security group for the team. If you're looking to change ownership, just remember that folder-level permissions can get tricky since they're tied to individual files created by users, not just global team settings. You can mess around with these permissions in SharePoint, but it’s a bit different from your usual setup.
I feel your pain! I usually recommend sticking to site-level permissions for easier management. If you need to change ownership, consider creating a new team, adding the necessary owners there, and then moving the folder over. You can keep a shortcut to make it easy for others to find it in the original location. Also, make sure you're logged in as an owner via the web; sometimes, that can affect what settings you can change!
Sounds like a classic Teams quirk! Just remember that the permissions model is meant to be more fluid for collaboration, but it does limit you in terms of traditional ownership management.
Good point! I actually have global admin rights and made myself the owner of the Team and SharePoint, but I noticed that whoever creates a file automatically becomes its owner. It's frustrating since I can't bulk change permissions like in regular SharePoint. The options for editing access rights are greyed out for me. What a headache!