How to Manage Microsoft Teams Channels Using PowerShell

Managing Microsoft Teams channels in large-scale environments can be challenging. With three channel types, each designed for different collaboration and access needs, relying on the GUI alone is impractical.

The good news? PowerShell is here to help. Using Microsoft Teams PowerShell cmdlets, you can automate the creation, configuration, and management of channels across tenant environments.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should automate blindly.

As both Microsoft Learn and the PowerShell community have emphasized, striking a balance between automation and control is key. You want to be intentional with what you automate to prevent sacrificing standardization.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to manage Microsoft Teams channels using PowerShell cmdlets. Continue reading to discover additional tips on how to organize your channels effectively.

A guide to managing MS Teams channels via PowerShell

📌Prerequisites:

• Microsoft Teams PowerShell module (versions 4.9.1 or later).
• Global or Teams Service Administrator role in Microsoft 365.
• Access to the Teams Admin Center for validation and cross-checking.
• Secure credential storage or app-based authentication for automation scripts.

Step 1: Connect and inventory existing channels

Begin by connecting the Microsoft Teams PowerShell module to your tenant and conducting an audit of all channels across your Teams environment.

1. Install and connect to the Teams PowerShell module.

Install-Module MicrosoftTeams -Force
Connect-MicrosoftTeams

2. List all channels across teams.

Get-Team | ForEach-Object { Get-TeamChannel -GroupId $_.GroupId } |
Select-Object GroupId, DisplayName, MembershipType, Description

3. Export the results to a CSV file for auditing and reviewing naming conventions.

This step allows you to locate private or shared channels that the Teams GUI might have missed.

Step 2: Create, configure, and manage channels

With a complete view of your Teams setup, you can start creating and configuring channels as needed.

1. Create a standard or private channel

New-TeamChannel -GroupId <TeamID> -DisplayName "FinanceOps" -Description "Finance operations discussion"

💡Note: Once a new private or shared channel is created, make sure that the memberships and role assignments have been configured properly.

2. Modify an existing channel’s description or moderation setting

Set-TeamChannel -GroupId <TeamID> -DisplayName "FinanceOps" -Description "Monthly financial discussions"

3. Identify private or shared channels

Get-TeamChannel -GroupId <TeamID> | Where-Object {$_.MembershipType -ne "Standard"}

4. Verify membership lists for private

Get-TeamChannelUser -GroupId <TeamID> -DisplayName "FinanceOps"

💡Tip: Use naming prefixes, such as PRI- or SHR- for private or shared channels for easier reporting.

Step 3: Apply governance and naming policies

Consistency is the key to maintaining an organized and compliant Microsoft Teams environment. Establishing naming conventions helps prevent confusion and makes it easier for users to locate the right channels.

1. Establish channel naming conventions, complete with department tags or purpose indicators (e.g., HR-Announcement and ENG-Porjects).
2. Regularly run scripts for detecting out-of-policy names or unused channels.
3. Archive inactive channels using the script below:

Set-TeamArchivedState -GroupId <TeamID> -Archived $true

4. Maintain an audit log of all changes to ensure accurate documentation and audit-readiness.

Step 4: Automate workflows with PowerShell scripts

Finally, use PowerShell scripts to automate repetitive tasks and ensure consistent monitoring across tenant environments. Here are a few examples:

• Use Task Scheduler or Azure Automation to schedule jobs that collect channel reports, enforce naming conventions, and archive unused channels automatically.
• Use CSV or JSON templates to define new channels for client onboarding.
• Maintain a log summary (e.g., timestamp, actions, channel, and user) for audit trails and quick troubleshooting.

Summary of best practices for managing Microsoft Teams channels

Automation touchpoint: Improving Microsoft Teams management using scheduled jobs

If managing Microsoft Teams channels is eating too much of your team’s time, automation is the answer.

With scheduled PowerShell jobs, you can automate repetitive tasks such as:

• Retrieving all Teams and channels
• Validating naming conventions and activity policies
• Archiving inactive Teams and channels
• Generating detailed reports

More importantly, automation enables you to reduce the risk of human error and ensure consistent monitoring across all tenant environments.

What’s the best way to organize Teams channels? Additional tips for effective Teams management

Here are some additional tips you can follow to keep your Microsoft Teams workspace clean and organized:

Use clear channel names

Keep your channel names short and specific. Avoid using fluff in your channel name, or Teams could cut it off. Use prefixes to make sorting channels easier for everyone.

Remember, channel names play a crucial role in the navigability of your workspace. Without clear names, your Teams environment will be a labyrinth for your users.

Writing channel descriptions can also be helpful when organizing your Teams workspace.

Avoid creating unnecessary channels

Teams can create up to 1,000 channels in one workspace, but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. You want to keep your channel numbers in check to prevent your workspace from becoming cluttered with duplicate or unused channels.

Before you create a new channel, ask yourself if there’s an existing channel you can use for this project. Consider how often your team will utilize this channel and whether it aligns with their needs and goals.

If you’re unsure, stick to an existing channel or create a temporary one for short projects.

Use private channels with caution

Private channels are particularly useful for focused discussions, but they can create silos in your workspace if not used with caution.

That said, you want to limit the users who can create private channels using the Teams Management settings. Establish clear rules for when to use private channels and ensure they are reviewed regularly to prevent data breaches.

Manage Microsoft Teams channels at scale with NinjaOne

Managing multiple Teams channels doesn’t have to be tedious. With NinjaOne, you can take full control of your workspace with one tool.

Using its Automation Library, you can deploy and schedule PowerShell scripts for managing channels and generating compliance reports for QBRs without leaving the platform. Whether you’re using custom scripts or prebuilt templates, you can use NinjaOne to deploy them on multiple tenant environments.

More importantly, NinjaOne allows you to store all logs and exported CSV files directly in the console, making it easier to retrieve historical data and track audit changes.

Stronger governance with automated Teams channels management

PowerShell transforms Microsoft Teams management from a manual, time-consuming task into a scalable, structured workflow.

With automation, you can streamline repetitive tasks, enforce naming and access standards, and generate audit-ready documentation using just a few scripts.

Pair this with governance strategies, such as retention policies, sensitivity labels, and proper lifecycle management, and you can build a cleaner, more secure Teams workspace.

Related topics:

• How to Manage Teams Lifecycle and Prevent Sprawl
• How to Automate Repetitive Tasks with PowerShell
• The Ultimate PowerShell Commands Cheat Sheet
• How to Open an Elevated PowerShell Prompt in Windows 10/11