How to Make a Private SharePoint Site Public: A Comprehensive Guide [Stepwise]

If you are an administrator managing SharePoint Online sites then you may have encountered situations where a private team site needs to be converted into public sites for wider access. Recently, the most frequently asked query for SharePoint Online is “how to make a private SharePoint site public”. In this guide, we will walk you through the detailed steps for converting a private site into a public one.

By default, SharePoint team sites are set to private which helps to limit access to specific users or groups. Initially, you need to be aware of how to create a SharePoint site. There are multiple scenarios when making a site public becomes important like collaborating with external partners, sharing information across departments, or broadcasting information to the audience.

Also, take a look at the below user query struggling with the same issue.

Let’s have a look at the major differences between private and public SharePoint sites which will ultimately help you to understand the need for converting private sites into public sites.

Key Differences Between Private and Public SharePoint Sites

Before diving into the steps to c</span>hange a SharePoint site from private to public, it is essential to understand the basic difference. This table will provide you with an idea of whether to make your site public or not.

These key factors help you to get a deeper knowledge about the SharePoint public or private site. The next step involves understanding the specific methods for making this change.

How to Make a Private SharePoint Site Public Using the Admin Center?

Using the SharePoint Admin Center is one of the easiest ways to modify the privacy settings on a SharePoint site. Administrators who want to control privacy settings across several websites will find this solution suitable.

Step-by-Step Process for Converting Public SharePoint Site into Private:

1. Firstly, navigate to the SharePoint site you wish to change.

2. Secondly, go to the upper-right corner to check the current privacy status. If it says “Private Group,” then the site is private.

3. Navigate to the “Settings” option on the site’s menu and click “Site Information.”

 

4. In the dialog box that opens, scroll to the “Privacy Settings” section. 

 

5. Select the drop-down and choose the “Public” option. Finally, after selecting the Public option, click “Save” to apply the changes.

Note: How to make a public SharePoint site private? The answer of this query is also in the above steps. You just need to modify the Public option to Private in the privacy settings.

Let’s see how we can automate this process using PowerShell which will give you a complete idea of how to make a private SharePoint site public.

PnP PowerShell to Change a SharePoint Site from Private to Public

For those more comfortable with coding or managing larger environments through automation, PowerShell offers an automated way to change privacy settings. PnP PowerShell commands are useful when you dealing with multiple sites or bulk changes.

#PowerShell Command to Convert a Private Site to a Public
$URLofSite = "enter-your-site-url-here"
Try {
    Connect-PnPOnline -Url $URLofSite -Interactive
    $SiteInfo = Get-PnPSite -Includes GroupId
    Set-PnPMicrosoft365Group -Identity $SiteInfo.GroupID -IsPrivate:$False
    Write-host "Site's Privacy is updated successfully!" -ForegroundColor Green
} Catch {
    Write-host -ForegroundColor Red "Error occurred:" $_.Exception.Message
}

Explanation of Important Commands:

• • • The Get-PnPSite command fetches site details including the Group ID needed for the next step.
    • The Set-PnPMicrosoft365Group command changes the site’s privacy to the public by setting the IsPrivate parameter to False.
    • “Write-host” if everything goes well, the success message will be displayed in green.

After executing this command you have learned how to make a private SharePoint site public.

SharePoint Site Migration: Private and Public Sites

One question that frequently arises when changing SharePoint privacy settings is whether site migration is possible between tenants when dealing with public or private sites.

The short answer is yes you can migrate SharePoint sites regardless of their privacy settings. Using efficient migration tools, you can perform SharePoint tenant to tenant migration without losing data or security settings. Till now you have mastered how to make a private SharePoint site public, let’s explore the migration process using an advanced solution.

Best Practices and Security Considerations

When a SharePoint site is made public after being private, there are security risks that you must consider. Here are some best practices to guarantee data security and reduce risks:

• Review Permissions Regularly – After making a site public review user access to ensure only authorized personnel can edit or view information.
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – Enabling MFA adds an extra layer of security which makes unauthorized access more difficult.
• Implement Conditional Access Policies – Use Azure AD Conditional Access to enforce security policies that restrict access based on user location or device.

Concluding Words

Collaboration can be greatly improved by switching from a private to a public SharePoint site, especially for larger projects with external stakeholders. To conclude we have shown steps for how to make a private SharePoint site public through this you can effectively adjust privacy settings. Whether you’re using PowerShell or the Admin Center to perform this always remember to balance accessibility with security. However, we have also mentioned best practices for carefully reviewing permissions and implementing privacy controls after making a site public.