Create group

7/7/2021
9 minutes to read

Namespace: microsoft.graph

Create a new group as specified in the request body. You can create the following types of groups:

Microsoft 365 group (unified group)
Security group

This operation returns by default only a subset of the properties for each group. These default properties are noted in the Properties section.

To get properties that are not returned by default, do a GET operation and specify the properties in a $select OData query option.

Permissions

One of the following permissions is required to call this API. To learn more, including how to choose permissions, see Permissions.

Permission type	Permissions (from least to most privileged)
Delegated (work or school account)	Group.ReadWrite.All, Directory.ReadWrite.All, Directory.AccessAsUser.All
Delegated (personal Microsoft account)	Not supported.
Application	Group.Create, Group.ReadWrite.All, Directory.ReadWrite.All

HTTP request

POST /groups

Request headers

Name	Type	Description
Authorization	string	Bearer {token}. Required.
Content-Type	application/json

Request body

The following table shows the properties of the group resource to specify when you create a group.

Property	Type	Description
displayName	string	The name to display in the address book for the group. Maximum length: 256 characters. Required.
description	string	A description for the group. Max. length: 1024 characters. Optional.
isAssignableToRole	Boolean	Set to true to enable the group to be assigned to an Azure AD role. Only Privileged Role Administrator and Global Administrator can set the value of this property. Optional.
mailEnabled	boolean	Set to true for mail-enabled groups. Required.
mailNickname	string	The mail alias for the group. Max. length: 64 characters. These characters cannot be used in the mailNickName: `@()\[]";:.<>,SPACE`. Required.
securityEnabled	boolean	Set to true for security-enabled groups, including Microsoft 365 groups. Required.
owners	string collection	This property represents the owners for the group at creation time. Owners aren't automatically added as group members unless specified in the members property. Optional.
members	string collection	This property represents the members for the group at creation time. Optional.
visibility	String	Specifies the visibility of a Microsoft 365 group. Possible values are: `Private`, `Public`, `HiddenMembership`, or empty (which is interpreted as `Public`).

Specify other writable properties as necessary for your group. For more information, see the properties of the group resource.

groupTypes options

Use the groupTypes property to control the type of group and its membership, as shown.

Type of group	Assigned membership	Dynamic membership
Microsoft 365 (aka unified group)	`["Unified"]`	`["Unified","DynamicMembership"]`
Dynamic	`[]` (null)	`["DynamicMembership"]`

Response

If successful, this method returns a 201 Created response code and a group object in the response body. The response includes only the default properties of the group.

Examples

Example 1: Create a Microsoft 365 group

The following example creates a Microsoft 365 group.

Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/groups
Content-type: application/json
Content-length: 244

{
  "description": "Self help community for library",
  "displayName": "Library Assist",
  "groupTypes": [
    "Unified"
  ],
  "mailEnabled": true,
  "mailNickname": "library",
  "securityEnabled": false
}


GraphServiceClient graphClient = new GraphServiceClient( authProvider );

var group = new Group
{
	Description = "Self help community for library",
	DisplayName = "Library Assist",
	GroupTypes = new List<String>()
	{
		"Unified"
	},
	MailEnabled = true,
	MailNickname = "library",
	SecurityEnabled = false
};

await graphClient.Groups
	.Request()
	.AddAsync(group);


const options = {
	authProvider,
};

const client = Client.init(options);

const group = {
  description: 'Self help community for library',
  displayName: 'Library Assist',
  groupTypes: [
    'Unified'
  ],
  mailEnabled: true,
  mailNickname: 'library',
  securityEnabled: false
};

await client.api('/groups')
	.post(group);


MSHTTPClient *httpClient = [MSClientFactory createHTTPClientWithAuthenticationProvider:authenticationProvider];

NSString *MSGraphBaseURL = @"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/";
NSMutableURLRequest *urlRequest = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:[NSURL URLWithString:[MSGraphBaseURL stringByAppendingString:@"/groups"]]];
[urlRequest setHTTPMethod:@"POST"];
[urlRequest setValue:@"application/json" forHTTPHeaderField:@"Content-Type"];

MSGraphGroup *group = [[MSGraphGroup alloc] init];
[group setDescription:@"Self help community for library"];
[group setDisplayName:@"Library Assist"];
NSMutableArray *groupTypesList = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
[groupTypesList addObject: @"Unified"];
[group setGroupTypes:groupTypesList];
[group setMailEnabled: true];
[group setMailNickname:@"library"];
[group setSecurityEnabled: false];

NSError *error;
NSData *groupData = [group getSerializedDataWithError:&error];
[urlRequest setHTTPBody:groupData];

MSURLSessionDataTask *meDataTask = [httpClient dataTaskWithRequest:urlRequest 
	completionHandler: ^(NSData *data, NSURLResponse *response, NSError *nserror) {

		//Request Completed

}];

[meDataTask execute];


GraphServiceClient graphClient = GraphServiceClient.builder().authenticationProvider( authProvider ).buildClient();

Group group = new Group();
group.description = "Self help community for library";
group.displayName = "Library Assist";
LinkedList<String> groupTypesList = new LinkedList<String>();
groupTypesList.add("Unified");
group.groupTypes = groupTypesList;
group.mailEnabled = true;
group.mailNickname = "library";
group.securityEnabled = false;

graphClient.groups()
	.buildRequest()
	.post(group);

Response

The following is an example of the response.

HTTP/1.1 201 Created
Content-type: application/json

{
    "id": "b320ee12-b1cd-4cca-b648-a437be61c5cd",
	  "deletedDateTime": null,
	  "classification": null,
	  "createdDateTime": "2018-12-22T00:51:37Z",
	  "creationOptions": [],
	  "description": "Self help community for library",
	  "displayName": "Library Assist",
	  "groupTypes": [
	      "Unified"
	  ],
	  "mail": "library7423@contoso.com",
	  "mailEnabled": true,
	  "mailNickname": "library",
	  "onPremisesLastSyncDateTime": null,
	  "onPremisesSecurityIdentifier": null,
	  "onPremisesSyncEnabled": null,
	  "preferredDataLocation": "CAN",
	  "proxyAddresses": [
	      "SMTP:library7423@contoso.com"
	  ],
	  "renewedDateTime": "2018-12-22T00:51:37Z",
	  "resourceBehaviorOptions": [],
	  "resourceProvisioningOptions": [],
	  "securityEnabled": false,
	  "visibility": "Public",
	  "onPremisesProvisioningErrors": []
}

Example 2: Create a group with owners and members

The following example creates a Security group with an owner and members specified. Note that a maximum of 20 relationships, such as owners and members, can be added as part of group creation. You can subsequently add more members by using the add member API or JSON batching.

Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/groups
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "description": "Group with designated owner and members",
  "displayName": "Operations group",
  "groupTypes": [
  ],
  "mailEnabled": false,
  "mailNickname": "operations2019",
  "securityEnabled": true,
  "owners@odata.bind": [
    "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/26be1845-4119-4801-a799-aea79d09f1a2"
  ],
  "members@odata.bind": [
    "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/ff7cb387-6688-423c-8188-3da9532a73cc",
    "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/69456242-0067-49d3-ba96-9de6f2728e14"
  ]
}


GraphServiceClient graphClient = new GraphServiceClient( authProvider );

var group = new Group
{
	Description = "Group with designated owner and members",
	DisplayName = "Operations group",
	GroupTypes = new List<String>()
	{
	},
	MailEnabled = false,
	MailNickname = "operations2019",
	SecurityEnabled = true,
	AdditionalData = new Dictionary<string, object>()
	{
		{"owners@odata.bind", "[\"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/26be1845-4119-4801-a799-aea79d09f1a2\"]"},
		{"members@odata.bind", "[\"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/ff7cb387-6688-423c-8188-3da9532a73cc\",\"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/69456242-0067-49d3-ba96-9de6f2728e14\"]"}
	}
};

await graphClient.Groups
	.Request()
	.AddAsync(group);


const options = {
	authProvider,
};

const client = Client.init(options);

const group = {
  description: 'Group with designated owner and members',
  displayName: 'Operations group',
  groupTypes: [
  ],
  mailEnabled: false,
  mailNickname: 'operations2019',
  securityEnabled: true,
  'owners@odata.bind': [
    'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/26be1845-4119-4801-a799-aea79d09f1a2'
  ],
  'members@odata.bind': [
    'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/ff7cb387-6688-423c-8188-3da9532a73cc',
    'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/69456242-0067-49d3-ba96-9de6f2728e14'
  ]
};

await client.api('/groups')
	.post(group);


MSHTTPClient *httpClient = [MSClientFactory createHTTPClientWithAuthenticationProvider:authenticationProvider];

NSString *MSGraphBaseURL = @"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/";
NSMutableURLRequest *urlRequest = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:[NSURL URLWithString:[MSGraphBaseURL stringByAppendingString:@"/groups"]]];
[urlRequest setHTTPMethod:@"POST"];
[urlRequest setValue:@"application/json" forHTTPHeaderField:@"Content-Type"];

MSGraphGroup *group = [[MSGraphGroup alloc] init];
[group setDescription:@"Group with designated owner and members"];
[group setDisplayName:@"Operations group"];
NSMutableArray *groupTypesList = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
[group setGroupTypes:groupTypesList];
[group setMailEnabled: false];
[group setMailNickname:@"operations2019"];
[group setSecurityEnabled: true];

NSError *error;
NSData *groupData = [group getSerializedDataWithError:&error];
[urlRequest setHTTPBody:groupData];

MSURLSessionDataTask *meDataTask = [httpClient dataTaskWithRequest:urlRequest 
	completionHandler: ^(NSData *data, NSURLResponse *response, NSError *nserror) {

		//Request Completed

}];

[meDataTask execute];


GraphServiceClient graphClient = GraphServiceClient.builder().authenticationProvider( authProvider ).buildClient();

Group group = new Group();
group.description = "Group with designated owner and members";
group.displayName = "Operations group";
LinkedList<String> groupTypesList = new LinkedList<String>();
group.groupTypes = groupTypesList;
group.mailEnabled = false;
group.mailNickname = "operations2019";
group.securityEnabled = true;
group.additionalDataManager().put("owners@odata.bind", new JsonPrimitive("[  \"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/26be1845-4119-4801-a799-aea79d09f1a2\"]"));
group.additionalDataManager().put("members@odata.bind", new JsonPrimitive("[  \"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/ff7cb387-6688-423c-8188-3da9532a73cc\",  \"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/69456242-0067-49d3-ba96-9de6f2728e14\"]"));

graphClient.groups()
	.buildRequest()
	.post(group);

Response

The following is an example of a successful response. It includes only default properties. You can subsequently get the owners or members navigation properties of the group to verify the owner or members.

HTTP/1.1 201 Created
Content-type: application/json

{
    "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#groups/$entity",
    "id": "502df398-d59c-469d-944f-34a50e60db3f",
    "deletedDateTime": null,
    "classification": null,
    "createdDateTime": "2018-12-27T22:17:07Z",
    "creationOptions": [],
    "description": "Group with designated owner and members",
    "displayName": "Operations group",
    "groupTypes": [
        "Unified"
    ],
    "mail": "operations2019@contoso.com",
    "mailEnabled": true,
    "mailNickname": "operations2019",
    "onPremisesLastSyncDateTime": null,
    "onPremisesSecurityIdentifier": null,
    "onPremisesSyncEnabled": null,
    "preferredDataLocation": "CAN",
    "proxyAddresses": [
        "SMTP:operations2019@contoso.com"
    ],
    "renewedDateTime": "2018-12-27T22:17:07Z",
    "resourceBehaviorOptions": [],
    "resourceProvisioningOptions": [],
    "securityEnabled": false,
    "visibility": "Public",
    "onPremisesProvisioningErrors": []
}

Example 3: Create a group that can be assigned to an Azure AD role

Request

The following is an example of the request. The calling user must be assigned the Directory.AccessAsUser.All permission to set the isAssignableToRole property.

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/groups
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "description": "Group assignable to a role",
  "displayName": "Role assignable group",
  "groupTypes": [
    "Unified"
  ],
  "isAssignableToRole": true,
  "mailEnabled": true,
  "securityEnabled": true,
  "mailNickname": "contosohelpdeskadministrators",
  "visibility" : "Private"
}


GraphServiceClient graphClient = new GraphServiceClient( authProvider );

var group = new Group
{
	Description = "Group assignable to a role",
	DisplayName = "Role assignable group",
	GroupTypes = new List<String>()
	{
		"Unified"
	},
	IsAssignableToRole = true,
	MailEnabled = true,
	SecurityEnabled = true,
	MailNickname = "contosohelpdeskadministrators",
	Visibility = "Private"
};

await graphClient.Groups
	.Request()
	.AddAsync(group);


const options = {
	authProvider,
};

const client = Client.init(options);

const group = {
  description: 'Group assignable to a role',
  displayName: 'Role assignable group',
  groupTypes: [
    'Unified'
  ],
  isAssignableToRole: true,
  mailEnabled: true,
  securityEnabled: true,
  mailNickname: 'contosohelpdeskadministrators',
  visibility: 'Private'
};

await client.api('/groups')
	.post(group);


MSHTTPClient *httpClient = [MSClientFactory createHTTPClientWithAuthenticationProvider:authenticationProvider];

NSString *MSGraphBaseURL = @"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/";
NSMutableURLRequest *urlRequest = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:[NSURL URLWithString:[MSGraphBaseURL stringByAppendingString:@"/groups"]]];
[urlRequest setHTTPMethod:@"POST"];
[urlRequest setValue:@"application/json" forHTTPHeaderField:@"Content-Type"];

MSGraphGroup *group = [[MSGraphGroup alloc] init];
[group setDescription:@"Group assignable to a role"];
[group setDisplayName:@"Role assignable group"];
NSMutableArray *groupTypesList = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
[groupTypesList addObject: @"Unified"];
[group setGroupTypes:groupTypesList];
[group setIsAssignableToRole: true];
[group setMailEnabled: true];
[group setSecurityEnabled: true];
[group setMailNickname:@"contosohelpdeskadministrators"];
[group setVisibility:@"Private"];

NSError *error;
NSData *groupData = [group getSerializedDataWithError:&error];
[urlRequest setHTTPBody:groupData];

MSURLSessionDataTask *meDataTask = [httpClient dataTaskWithRequest:urlRequest 
	completionHandler: ^(NSData *data, NSURLResponse *response, NSError *nserror) {

		//Request Completed

}];

[meDataTask execute];


GraphServiceClient graphClient = GraphServiceClient.builder().authenticationProvider( authProvider ).buildClient();

Group group = new Group();
group.description = "Group assignable to a role";
group.displayName = "Role assignable group";
LinkedList<String> groupTypesList = new LinkedList<String>();
groupTypesList.add("Unified");
group.groupTypes = groupTypesList;
group.isAssignableToRole = true;
group.mailEnabled = true;
group.securityEnabled = true;
group.mailNickname = "contosohelpdeskadministrators";
group.visibility = "Private";

graphClient.groups()
	.buildRequest()
	.post(group);

Response

The following is an example of the response. It includes only default properties.

HTTP/1.1 201 Created
Content-type: application/json

{
  "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#groups/$entity",
  "id": "502df398-d59c-469d-944f-34a50e60db3f",
  "deletedDateTime": null,
  "classification": null,
  "createdDateTime": "2018-12-27T22:17:07Z",
  "description": "Group assignable to a role",
  "displayName": "Role assignable group",
  "expirationDateTime": null,
  "groupTypes": [
    "Unified"
  ],
  "isAssignableToRole": true,
  "mail": "operations2019@contoso.com",
  "mailEnabled": true,
  "mailNickname": "contosohelpdeskadministrators",
  "membershipRule": null,
  "membershipRuleProcessingState": null,
  "onPremisesLastSyncDateTime": null,
  "onPremisesSecurityIdentifier": null,
  "onPremisesSyncEnabled": null,
  "preferredDataLocation": "CAN",
  "proxyAddresses": [
    "SMTP:operations2019@contoso.com"
  ],
  "renewedDateTime": "2018-12-27T22:17:07Z",
  "resourceBehaviorOptions": [],
  "resourceProvisioningOptions": [],
  "securityEnabled": true,
  "securityIdentifier": "S-1-12-1-1905728287-1207447622-870010782-555555555",
  "theme": null,
  "visibility": "Private",
  "onPremisesProvisioningErrors": []
}

Create group

Permissions

HTTP request

Request headers

Request body

groupTypes options

Response

Examples

Example 1: Create a Microsoft 365 group

Request

Response

Example 2: Create a group with owners and members

Request

Response

Example 3: Create a group that can be assigned to an Azure AD role

Request

Response

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