MC686596 - Simpler and quicker creation of teams and channels

Updated April 3, 2024: We have updated the roll out timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Collaborate more easily by creating teams and channels simpler and faster - a simple by default, power when needed experience!

Currently, our team and channel creation processes have several steps and are focused on letting users create team at the top level, with channel creation as an option for each team.

We are making the team create experience simpler by default, but still giving users the advanced options of creating a team from a template or group and choosing the privacy/ sensitivity of the team if they want. To help users create channels within these teams, we are putting "create channel" option at the top. They will be able to host the channel into a default team or a team they select.

Users can now create the right collab space by choosing between team or channel. Overall, users can now set up the right teams or channels from the + button, without having to go to different places or follow multiple steps.

This change is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID: 163363 and 163364

When this will happen:

Preview: We will begin rolling out mid-November 2023.

Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out mid-January 2024.

Worldwide: We will begin rolling out early February 2024 and expect to complete by mid-April 2024 (previously late March).

How this will affect your organization:

Users will now be able to create a team or channel from the top "+" button. Having "create channel" as an option elevated to the top will promote users to create channels instead of teams, reducing team proliferation. 

What you need to do to prepare:

While creating channels from the + button, communicate with users to pick the team they want to host the channel in, if the default team if not suitable.