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Add or remove members from Microsoft 365 groups using the admin center

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In Microsoft 365, group members typically create their own groups, add themselves to groups they want to join, or are invited by group owners. If group ownership changes, or if you determine that a member should be added or removed, as the admin you can also make that change. Only an Exchange administrator, Groups administrator, or user administrator can make these changes. What is a Microsoft 365 group?

Tip

If you're not an admin, you can add or remove members using Outlook.

Note

Nesting of groups isn't supported with regard to Microsoft 365 Group, that is, you can't add an existing Distribution List (DL) or Microsoft 365 Group as member of another Microsoft 365 Group.

Add a member to a group in the admin center

  1. In the admin center, go to the Active groups page.

  2. Click a group name.

  3. In the details pane, on the Membership tab, select Members, and then select Add members.

  4. Search for or select the name of the member you want to add.

  5. Select Save.

Add a group to a member in the admin center

  1. In the admin center, go to the Active users page.

  2. Click a user.

  3. In the details pane, on the Account tab, select Manage groups.

  4. Select Assign memberships and search for or select the name of the group you want to add.

  5. Select Save.

Remove a member from a group in the admin center

Note

When you remove a member from a private group, it takes 5 minutes for the person to be blocked from the group.

  1. In the admin center, go to the Active groups page.

  2. Click a group name.

  3. In the details pane, on the Membership tab, select Members.

  4. Next to the member you want to remove, select the X.

  5. Select Save to remove the member.

Manage group owner status

By default, the person who created the group is the group owner. Often a group will have multiple owners for backup support or other reasons. Members can be promoted to owner status and owners can be demoted to member status.

Promote a member to owner status in the admin center

  1. In the admin center, go to the Active groups page.

  2. Click a group name.

  3. In the details pane, on the Membership tab, select Owners.

  4. Select Add owners.

  5. Select the check box next to the name of the member you want to add.

  6. Select Save, and then Close.

Remove owner status in the admin center

  1. In the admin center, go to the Active groups page.

  2. Click a group name.

  3. In the details pane, on the Membership tab, select Owners.

  4. Select the X next to the owner's name.

  5. Select Save.

Next steps

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