Set a SharePoint Home Site in Microsoft 365: Practical Checklist for SharePoint Owners

You need to set a SharePoint home site to give your organization a branded landing page in Microsoft 365. The home site replaces the default SharePoint start page and appears in the SharePoint app bar, Viva Connections, and search results. This article walks through the exact steps, prerequisites, and settings you must configure before and after setting the home site. You will also learn what goes wrong when the home site is not set correctly and how to avoid common mistakes.

What Is a SharePoint Home Site and Why You Need One

A SharePoint home site is a communication site that acts as the central entry point for your organization in Microsoft 365. When you set a home site, users see it when they click SharePoint in the app launcher or use the SharePoint mobile app. The home site also powers the SharePoint app bar, which shows global navigation, news, and resources across all SharePoint sites.

The home site is not a special site template. It is any modern communication site you register in the SharePoint admin center. After registration, the site gains these features:

• Replaces the default SharePoint start page for all users.
• Appears in the SharePoint app bar on every site.
• Integrates with Viva Connections to show content in Teams.
• Ranks higher in SharePoint search results for branded content.

Before you set a home site, you must have at least one modern communication site created. Team sites with Microsoft 365 groups cannot be used as the home site. You also need SharePoint admin permissions in the Microsoft 365 admin center or the SharePoint admin center.

Prerequisites for Setting a Home Site

Verify these conditions before you register a home site:

• Site type: The site must be a modern communication site. Classic publishing sites, team sites, and wiki sites are not supported.
• Permissions: You must be a SharePoint admin or global admin in Microsoft 365.
• Site URL: The site must exist and be accessible. You cannot register a deleted or archived site.
• Tenant configuration: The SharePoint admin center must be available. In some restricted environments, the home site feature may be disabled by policy.
• Licensing: All users who access the home site must have a SharePoint license. No additional license is required for the home site itself.

If you do not have a communication site yet, create one from the SharePoint admin center or from the SharePoint start page. Choose a name and URL that match your organization branding, such as https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/companyportal.

Step-by-Step Checklist to Set a SharePoint Home Site

Follow these steps in order. Do not skip the preparation steps before registering the site.

1. Create or identify the communication site
   Go to the SharePoint admin center and select Active sites. Find the communication site you want to use. If you need to create a new site, click Create, choose Communication site, and fill in the site name, description, and URL. Wait for the site to finish provisioning.
2. Apply branding and navigation
   Open the site. Under Settings, select Change the look to apply a theme, logo, and header layout. Set up global navigation in the SharePoint app bar by adding links to key resources. Do this before registering the home site so users see a finished portal on day one.
3. Register the site as the home site
   In the SharePoint admin center, go to Active sites. Select the communication site. On the command bar, click Home site. A confirmation dialog appears. Click Confirm to register. The site is now the home site for your tenant.
4. Verify the home site appears
   Open a new browser tab and navigate to the SharePoint start page. You should see your home site instead of the default page. Also check the SharePoint app bar on any other site to confirm the home site link is present.
5. Enable Viva Connections if needed
   If you use Viva Connections, go to the Teams admin center and set the home site as the Viva Connections source. Users will see the home site content in the Viva Connections app on Teams desktop and mobile.

Common Mistakes When Setting a Home Site

Using a team site instead of a communication site

The home site registration button is grayed out if you select a team site. Only modern communication sites are supported. If you see this, create a new communication site and migrate content from the team site if needed.

Home site does not appear for users

After registering, it can take up to 24 hours for the change to propagate to all users. If the home site still does not appear after 24 hours, check that the site is not restricted by location-based access policies or conditional access rules in Microsoft Entra ID.

Viva Connections shows a blank screen

Viva Connections requires the home site to have a news web part or a hero web part with content. If the home site is empty, Viva Connections displays a blank page. Add news posts, links, and resources to the home site before enabling Viva Connections.

Cannot change the home site after setting it

You can change the home site at any time by selecting a different communication site and clicking Home site again. The previous home site loses the home site features but remains as a regular site. There is no limit on how many times you can change the home site.

Communication Site vs Team Site: Home Site Eligibility

Item	Communication Site	Team Site
Can be set as home site	Yes	No
Site template	Topic, Showcase, or Blank	Team site or Team site with Microsoft 365 group
Navigation style	Horizontal top navigation or cascading	Left navigation or hub navigation
Recommended use	Company portal, news, and resources	Team collaboration, document libraries, and lists
Viva Connections support	Full support	Not supported as home site

Setting a SharePoint home site gives your organization a branded landing page that works across SharePoint, Teams, and mobile. Start by creating a modern communication site with your company theme and navigation. Register the site in the SharePoint admin center using the Home site button. After registration, verify the site appears for all users and enable Viva Connections if your organization uses Teams. A common advanced tip is to use the SharePoint REST API to programmatically set the home site when you need to deploy it across multiple tenants or test environments.