Microsoft Teams: File Management

Introduction

Microsoft Teams serves as a collaborative platform facilitating file sharing and collaboration among team members and chat participants. The Files tab, positioned on the left side of Teams or at the top of each channel or chat, provides a centralized location for accessing shared documents. When files are shared within a channel, they are stored in the team's SharePoint folder. Additionally, files shared in a private or group chat find their place in the OneDrive folder. Users have the flexibility to add new files, upload existing ones, or simply drag and drop files directly into the Files tab, streamlining the process of file management and collaboration within Microsoft Teams.

File management in Microsoft Teams is the process of organizing, sharing, and collaborating on files within the Teams app. Microsoft Teams uses SharePoint and OneDrive as the back end storage for files, and each team, channel, and chat has its own location for storing files.

Step-by-Step File Management

How to create a new file

  1. Go to the channel where you want to create the file and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Select New and choose the kind of file you want to create, such as Word, PowerPoint, or Excel.
  3. Enter your document name in the window that opens.
  4. Enter your document information.
  5. To upload an existing file from your computer, select Upload and choose the file you want to share.
  6. To collaborate on a file with your team members, you can co-edit the file in Teams or in the corresponding Microsoft 365 application.

How to upload a file from your computer

  1. Go to the channel where you want to upload the file and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Select Upload and choose the file you want to share from your computer.
  3. The file will appear in the Files tab and you can open it in Teams or in the corresponding Microsoft 365 application.
  4. To share the file with your team members, you can either mention them in a conversation or copy the link to the file and send it to them.

How to download a file from Microsoft Teams

  1. Go to the channel where you want to download the file and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Select More options next to the file name and then Download.

How to rename a file or folder

  1. Go to the Files tab in the channel where the file is located.
  2. Select More options next to the file name and then select Rename.
  3. Enter the new name and select Rename.

How to delete a file or folder

  1. If you want to delete a file that you shared in a channel, you can go to the Files tab in the channel, select the file more dots, and click the delete. This will remove the file from the Files tab but not from your cloud storage. To delete the file completely, you need to go to Files on the left side of Teams, select Cloud storage, and then OneDrive. There, you can open the Microsoft Teams Chat Files folder and delete the file from there.
  2. If you want to delete a file that you shared in a chat, you can edit the chat message that includes the file and delete it. This will remove the file from the chat, but not from your cloud storage. To delete the file completely, you need to follow the same steps as above.
  3. If you want to recover a file that you deleted from a channel, you can go to the Files tab in the channel, select Open in SharePoint at the top of the page, and then select Recycle bin on the left side of the page. There, you can find the file and restore it.

Sharing files

  1. To share a file with your team in a channel, select the Attach button beneath the box where you type your message in a channel. Then choose the file from your OneDrive, your computer, or the Teams and Channels folder. You can also drag and drop the file into the message box. The file will appear in the Files tab of the channel and anyone in the team can access it.
  2. To share a file with someone in a chat, select the Attach button beneath the box where you type a message in a chat. Then choose the file from your OneDrive, your computer, or the Microsoft Teams Chat Files folder. You can also drag and drop the file into the message box. The file will appear in the Files tab of the chat and anyone in the chat can access it.
  3. To share a file with people outside your team, you can either send them a link to the file or attach the file to an email. To get a link to the file, open the file in Teams and select Share at the top right corner of the window. Then choose the type of link you want to create and copy it. You can paste the link in an email or a message and send it to anyone you want.

Searching for files

  1. You can use the search box at the top of Teams and type a word or name related to the file. You can also use Ctrl+F (cmd+F on macOS) to search messages that contain the file within a chat or channel. Another option is to click on the Files icon on the left menu ribbon and choose Recent, Microsoft Teams, Downloads, or Cloud Storage to see your files.
  2. You can filter your search results by selecting the Files tab and using the filters for Team, File Type, Modified by, and Date. You can also use the More Filters feature to specify more criteria, such as mentions, subtitles, or attachments.
  3. You can use search operators to refine your search results, such as from:, to:, subject:, and has:attachment. For example, you can type from:Lauren ,has:attachment to find files that Lauren sent you or shared with you.

Version History

To use version history for files in Microsoft Teams, you need to access the SharePoint site that stores the files of the team. Version history allows you to see and restore previous versions of a file, compare different versions, or recover a file that was deleted or overwritten. Here are some steps to use version history in Microsoft Teams:

  1. Go to the channel where the file is located and select the Files tab above the conversation window.
  2. Select Open SharePoint at the top right corner of the window. This will open the SharePoint library in a new tab.
  3. Find the file you want to see the version history of and select More options next to the file name. Then select Version History from the drop-down menu.
  4. You will see a list of all the versions of the file, along with the date, time, and user who modified it. You can select a version and choose View, Restore, or Delete.
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