How to Prevent Site Rename Does Not Change the URL Everywhere

When you rename a SharePoint site, the site URL does not update automatically. The URL stays the same unless you also change the site address in the SharePoint admin center. Many users expect the URL to match the new site name, but this does not happen by default. This article explains why the URL remains unchanged and how to update the site address so it reflects the new name. You will also learn which parts of the site and connected services are affected by a URL change.

Why Renaming a Site Does Not Change the URL

SharePoint separates the site title (display name) from the site address (URL). When you rename a site through the site settings or the SharePoint admin center, only the title updates. The URL is a separate property that must be changed independently. This design prevents broken links when users only want to update the display name. However, if you need the URL to match the new name, you must change the site address manually.

The site address is stored in the SharePoint content database and is used by all internal and external references. Changing the URL creates a redirect from the old address to the new address for a limited time. After the redirect expires, the old URL stops working. This behavior affects bookmarks, shared links, and third-party integrations that use the original URL.

What Happens When You Change the Site Address

When you update the site address in the SharePoint admin center, the system performs these actions:

• Creates a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new URL for 90 days.
• Updates the URL in SharePoint search results and site navigation.
• Does not update URLs in external documents, email messages, or browser bookmarks.
• Changes the site collection URL in the content database.

Steps to Change the Site URL After Renaming

Follow these steps to change the site address so it matches the new site name. You must be a SharePoint administrator or a site collection owner.

1. Sign in to the SharePoint admin center
   Go to https://admin.microsoft.com and select SharePoint from the left navigation. Alternatively, open https://[your-tenant]-admin.sharepoint.com.
2. Open the Active sites list
   In the SharePoint admin center, select Active sites from the left menu. This page shows all site collections in your tenant.
3. Select the renamed site
   Click the site name or the checkbox next to the site you renamed. The site details panel opens on the right side of the screen.
4. Click the Settings tab
   In the details panel, select the Settings tab. Scroll down to the Site address section.
5. Click Edit site address
   Click the Edit pencil icon next to the current URL. A dialog box appears where you can type the new URL path.
6. Enter the new URL
   Type the new site address in the Site address field. For example, change /sites/OldName to /sites/NewName. Click Save.
7. Confirm the URL change
   A confirmation dialog appears. Review the old and new URLs. Click Save again to apply the change. The system updates the site address and creates a redirect.

If the Site URL Still Shows the Old Name After Renaming

SharePoint site address change did not apply immediately

The URL change may take up to 15 minutes to propagate across the SharePoint farm. Wait 15 minutes and refresh the browser. If the URL still shows the old name, clear your browser cache and try again. Use the Ctrl + Shift + Delete shortcut in Chrome or Edge to clear cached images and files.

Users see the old URL in shared links

Links that users shared before the URL change still point to the old address. The 301 redirect lasts 90 days, so the old links will automatically forward to the new URL during that period. After 90 days, the redirect expires and the old links break. Ask users to update their bookmarks and shared links to the new URL.

Microsoft Teams or Outlook tabs show the old site address

If the SharePoint site is connected to a Microsoft Teams team or an Outlook group, the tab URL may not update automatically. Remove the tab from the channel and add it again using the new site address. This forces Teams or Outlook to use the updated URL.

Search results still show the old URL

SharePoint search crawls the site and updates the URL in search results. This process can take up to 24 hours. To speed it up, request a reindex of the site library or the entire site collection. Go to Site Settings > Search and Offline Availability > Reindex site.

Site Rename vs URL Change: Key Differences

Item	Site Rename (Title Change)	Site Address Change (URL Change)
What it updates	Display name in site header and navigation	Full URL path of the site collection
Effect on existing links	No effect – links continue to work	Creates a 90-day redirect; old links eventually break
Effect on search results	Title updates in search results	URL updates after search reindex
Effect on Teams tabs	No effect – tabs continue to work	Tab may break; must be re-added
Administrator action needed	Edit site title in site settings or admin center	Edit site address in SharePoint admin center

Renaming a SharePoint site does not change the site URL. To update the URL, you must manually edit the site address in the SharePoint admin center. Changing the URL creates a temporary redirect but does not update external links or bookmarks. After you change the URL, inform your users and ask them to update their shared links and shortcuts. For best results, change the site address immediately after renaming the site so the display name and URL stay consistent.