Where files in Microsoft 365 are really stored
In Microsoft 365 there are different places where you work with files — for example in Teams, on a SharePoint site, or in your personal OneDrive.
This often leads to questions like:
- “Where are the files actually stored?”
- “What’s the difference between Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive?”
The short answer:
🧩 All files — really all of them — are technically stored in your organization’s SharePoint.
It doesn’t matter whether you save them via Teams, a SharePoint site, or OneDrive.
🟦 Microsoft Teams — the workspace and the doorway to file storage
Microsoft Teams is much more than chat or meetings. It brings multiple Microsoft services together in one place:
- Calendar app = view of your Outlook calendar
- Planner for tasks
- OneNote for notes
- and of course: files
🔗 What does this mean for files?
Under the “Shared” tab (formerly “Files”), Teams shows you the SharePoint storage connected to that team.
👉 As soon as a new team is created, Microsoft automatically creates a corresponding SharePoint site that serves as the file repository for that team.
- Any file you upload to a channel → is stored in that channel’s folder in SharePoint
- The entire file storage of a team → is a SharePoint document library on the team’s SharePoint site
- Permissions → automatically follow team membership (clear & consistent)
So Teams is the user interface — SharePoint is the storage.
🟨 SharePoint sites without Teams — pure storage & granular permissions
In addition to Teams, there are standalone SharePoint sites that are not connected to a team. They are especially useful for:
- structured file repositories
- complex folder structures
- document management
- published content
- very granular sharing (group → team → folder → file)
Key difference:
- Teams = simple, automatic permission logic
- SharePoint sites without Teams = much more fine‑grained permissions, independent from team membership
Ideal when you need precise permissions or want a repository without team communication.
🟩 OneDrive — your personal SharePoint area
Your OneDrive is a personal space inside your organization’s SharePoint that belongs to you.
- great for personal files
- drafts, work-in-progress, notes
- sharing with individual people is possible
- technically: a private SharePoint area just for you
Important note:
If you leave the company, your OneDrive may be deleted — and anyone you shared files with can lose access as well.
🧩 Conclusion: Everything leads back to SharePoint
- Teams bundles services and is the convenient door to the team’s SharePoint storage.
- SharePoint sites without Teams are optimized for structured repositories and detailed permissions.
- OneDrive is your personal SharePoint space.
The actual storage location is always your organization’s SharePoint — no matter where you work with the files.
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