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Several business organizations use SharePoint Sites to store, organize, and access information actively. They implement a streamlined data flow, allowing several individuals to collaborate. Creating a SharePoint Site is so easy and quick that teams often overuse it. A collection of several inactive Sites could lead to chaos and confusion. It is preferable to remove all such Sites to maintain information properly.
In addition, at times, Site Owners also prefer to delete a Site once the project related to it is over and the data is no more required. But the big question which might be coming to your mind is, ‘How do I delete a SharePoint Site?’. Due to the intricate nature of the Sites, these doubts are natural. However, the process is simple but varies depending on whether you are the Admin or Owner. And this article digs deeper into deleting a Site in SharePoint.
Deleting any item is a big step, and here we are discussing the deletion of a SharePoint Site, which is the storage space of all documents. Before removing it, you must consider all the following factors and only then hit that delete button-
A Site in SharePoint can be deleted using PowerShell, Site Settings, or the admin center. The latter two are more accessible manual methods that a novice user can conduct smoothly.
Also, now there are Classic and Modern Sites in SharePoint. Classic Sites are standalone and can be deleted only by a Site Owner, while Modern Sites are Microsoft 365 Groups managed by their Admins.
Only a Site Owner can delete a Modern or Classic Site individually. These methods differ slightly; you can follow the exact steps to delete the Site.
Note: If the Delete Site option doesn’t appear, you are not the Site Owner.
A Global or SharePoint Administrator can delete a single or multiple Sites from the SharePoint admin center.
Follow these steps to delete Sites through the admin center:
Select the Site and click the Delete option. Again, click on Delete to confirm the action.
Select all the required Sites, click the Bulk edit option in the top bar, and select Delete. On the confirmation message, select Delete.
Once you delete a Modern SharePoint Site, it goes directly to the Recycle Bin and stays there for 30 days. You can remove the Site from there, which will be permanently deleted.
Steps to delete a Modern SharePoint Site permanently:
Note: This is a permanent Site deletion; you cannot restore the Site’s data afterward.
The answer to “How to delete a SharePoint Site?” is pretty simple. However, the methods vary depending on whether you are deleting as a Site Owner or Administrator. An Owner can delete a single Classic or Modern Site from the Site Settings option. In contrast, admins can attempt single or multiple Modern Sites deletion from the admin center. You need to thoroughly check a few factors before proceeding with the deletion. It is suggested to migrate SharePoint documents, at least the vital ones, to a different SharePoint account using a reliable, professional utility like Kernel Migrator for SharePoint.