Shared Channel in Microsoft Teams

What is Shared Channel in Microsoft Teams?

A Shared Channel in Microsoft Teams is a channel type that allows users to collaborate with people outside the parent team without adding them as full team members.

Unlike standard channels, where all team members automatically gain access, shared channels allow administrators and team owners to select specific users or teams who can access the channel.

Shared channels can include:

• Members from the same team
• Members from other teams within the organization
• External users from other Microsoft 365 organizations (if allowed by policy)

This design allows organizations to share specific conversations, files, and resources without exposing the entire team.

For example, a company working with an external vendor may create a shared channel to collaborate on a project while restricting access to only the relevant participants.

Why Use Shared Channel in Microsoft Teams?

Shared channels provide a more flexible and controlled way to collaborate across teams and organizations.

1. Controlled Collaboration	Shared channels allow collaboration without granting users access to the entire team.
2. Cross-Team Communication	Members from different internal teams can participate in a channel without being added to the parent team.
3. External Collaboration	Organizations can collaborate with trusted external partners while maintaining control over shared information.
4. Improved Security	Only users explicitly added to the shared channel can access its conversations and files.
5. Better Project Isolation	Shared channels help isolate project discussions and resources without creating separate Teams.

Prerequisites

Before creating a shared channel, ensure the following requirements are met.

1. Microsoft Teams License	Users must have an active Microsoft Teams license.
2. Shared Channels Enabled in Teams Policies	Shared channels must be enabled in the Teams policy. Navigate to: Teams Admin Center → Teams → Teams Policies Ensure the following option is enabled: Create shared channels
3. External Access Configuration (Optional)	If users from other organizations will be added, external access must be configured. Navigate to: Teams Admin Center → External collaboration → External Access → Policies
4. Team Ownership	Only team owners can create shared channels within a team.

How to Create Shared Channel Using Teams Admin Center?

Follow the steps below to create a shared channel using the Teams Admin Center.

Step 1	Sign in to the Microsoft Teams Admin Center https://admin.teams.microsoft.com
Step 2	Navigate to: Teams → Manage Teams
Step 3	Select the Team where the shared channel will be created.
Step 4	Click: Channels → Add
Step 5	Provide the following details: Channel Name Description Select: Shared
Step 6	Click Create.
Step 7	Add members or teams who should have access to the channel. The shared channel will now appear in Microsoft Teams for the selected users.

How to Create Shared Channel Using Graph PowerShell?

Administrators can also create shared channels using Microsoft Graph PowerShell.

Step 1 – Connect to Microsoft Graph

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Channel.Create,Group.ReadWrite.All"

Step 2 – Create a Shared Channel

$TeamId = "TEAM-ID"
$params = @{    
  displayName = "Vendor Collaboration"    
  description = "Shared channel for vendor discussions"    
  membershipType = "shared"
}
New-MgTeamChannel -TeamId $TeamId -BodyParameter $params
                                        

Step 3 – Verify the Channel

Get-MgTeamChannel -TeamId $TeamId

The newly created channel will appear with:

membershipType : shared

Graph API Permissions Required

The following Microsoft Graph permissions are required to create shared channels.

Delegated Permissions

Permission	Description
Channel.Create	Allows creating Microsoft Teams channels
Group.ReadWrite.All	Allows managing Teams and channels
Directory.Read.All	Allows reading directory information

Application Permissions

Permission	Description
Channel.Create.Group	Allows applications to create channels within Teams
Group.ReadWrite.All	Allows managing Teams resources

Admin consent is usually required for these permissions.

Conclusion

Shared Channels in Microsoft Teams provide a controlled collaboration environment that allows organizations to work with internal teams and external users without exposing the entire team structure.

By using shared channels, administrators can ensure secure communication, focused collaboration, and efficient project management. Shared channels can be created either through the Teams Admin Center or automated using Microsoft Graph PowerShell, making them suitable for both manual and scripted deployments.