Create a Hub Site Navigation Model: Practical Checklist for SharePoint Owners

As a SharePoint site owner, you need to connect multiple sites so users can find content quickly. A hub site navigation model links related sites under one global navigation bar. This article explains how to plan and build that model step by step. You will get a practical checklist to avoid common mistakes and create a consistent user experience.

What Is a Hub Site Navigation Model

A hub site navigation model connects multiple SharePoint sites under one central navigation bar. The hub site acts as the parent. All associated sites inherit the hub’s global navigation. Users can move between sites without returning to the home page. The model works for intranets, project portals, and department hubs.

Before you set up the navigation, you need a registered hub site. Only a SharePoint administrator can register a site as a hub. After registration, the site owner can add navigation links. The hub can have up to 2,000 associated sites. Each associated site can show the hub navigation, its own local navigation, or both.

Prerequisites

You need the following items before you begin:

• A SharePoint site that will become the hub. Communication sites or team sites with Microsoft 365 Groups work.
• SharePoint administrator rights to register the hub site. Site owners cannot register hubs without admin help.
• A clear list of sites to associate. Write down the site names and URLs.
• A navigation structure plan. Decide the top-level links and their order.

Checklist to Create a Hub Site Navigation Model

Follow these steps in order. Each step builds on the previous one.

1. Register the hub site in the SharePoint admin center
   Go to the SharePoint admin center. Select Active sites. Find the site you want as the hub. Click its name. In the panel, select Hub. Choose Register as hub site. Give the hub a display name. The name appears in the navigation bar. Click Save.
2. Add associated sites to the hub
   Still in the admin center, open the hub site settings. Under Associated sites, click Add sites. Enter the URLs of the sites you want to connect. You can add up to 2,000 sites. Click Save. Each associated site now shows the hub navigation bar.
3. Configure global navigation on the hub site
   Open the hub site. Click Settings and then Hub site settings. Under Global navigation, choose Add link. Enter a display name and URL for each link. Links can point to associated sites, other SharePoint sites, or external pages. Drag links to reorder them. Click Save.
4. Choose navigation inheritance for each associated site
   Go to an associated site. Click Settings and then Change the look. Under Navigation, select one of these options:
   – Show hub navigation only: Users see only the global navigation from the hub.
   – Show hub navigation and local navigation: Users see the global bar plus the site’s own left navigation.
   – Show local navigation only: The hub bar disappears. This option breaks the model. Use it only for sites that should not participate in the hub navigation.
   Repeat for each associated site.
5. Set audience targeting on navigation links
   In Hub site settings, edit a navigation link. Under Audience, click Edit. Select a Microsoft 365 group or security group. Only members of that group see the link. Use this feature to show department-specific links to the right people. Click Save.
6. Test the navigation from a user perspective
   Open a browser in private or incognito mode. Sign in as a test user who has access to the hub and at least one associated site. Click each navigation link. Verify that the correct site or page opens. Check that the global navigation bar appears consistently on every associated site.

Common Mistakes and Limitations When Creating Hub Navigation

Hub navigation links do not appear on associated sites

This problem happens when the hub site is not registered correctly. Go to the SharePoint admin center and verify that the site appears under Active sites with the hub icon. If the icon is missing, re-register the site. Also check that the associated site is not set to Show local navigation only.

Navigation links break after site URL changes

If you rename a site or change its URL, the navigation links in the hub settings become dead. Update the links manually in Hub site settings. Use the new site URL. Plan to review navigation links every quarter to catch broken URLs.

Audience targeting hides links from everyone

If you set audience targeting on a link and no user belongs to the selected group, the link disappears for everyone. Test with a user account that is a member of the group. If the link still does not appear, verify the group membership in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Hub navigation does not support dynamic filtering or search

The global navigation is a static list of links. It does not include a search box or dynamic filters. To add search, use the SharePoint search box on each site. For dynamic navigation, consider using SharePoint Framework (SPFx) extensions or a third-party navigation solution.

Hub Site Navigation vs Local Navigation: Key Differences

Item	Hub Site Navigation	Local Navigation
Scope	Global across all associated sites	Limited to a single site
Configuration location	Hub site settings in the hub site	Site settings > Navigation per site
Maximum links	2,000 links in the hub navigation	No hard limit but performance degrades after 500
Audience targeting	Supported per link	Not supported in classic navigation; available in modern with custom scripting
Inheritance	All associated sites show the hub bar by default	Each site manages its own navigation independently

Use hub navigation when you need a consistent top bar across multiple sites. Use local navigation when a site requires unique links that do not apply to the rest of the hub.

You now have a complete checklist to create a hub site navigation model. Start by registering a hub site in the SharePoint admin center. Add associated sites and configure the global navigation. Use audience targeting to show links only to the right groups. Review the navigation quarterly to replace broken URLs. For advanced scenarios, explore SharePoint Framework extensions to add custom navigation behavior.