Migrate Teams from One Tenant to Another: Complete 2026 Guide

What Is Microsoft Teams Tenant Migration?

It means moving Teams-related data and collaboration resources from one Microsoft 365 tenant to another. For example: Source Tenant → Destination Tenant. A company may have Teams in an old Microsoft 365 tenant and decide to transfer them to a new tenant after an acquisition. The migration can involve:

• Teams
• Channels
• Team members
• Owners
• Team files
• Channel conversations
• SharePoint content associated with Teams
• OneDrive-based chat files
• Team settings and related resources

The current Microsoft migration guidance applies to several scenarios, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and organizational restructuring. Alternatively, Professional Tool migrates public/private Teams channels, chats, files, tabs, messages, apps, and Planner.

Before You Start: A Pre-Migration Checklist

For every Teams migration, it is important to check a few things in advance. Proper planning can avoid multiple issues, missing data, and unnecessary delays during the migration. Microsoft 365 Tenant Migration Checklist:

• Admin access on both sides: Confirm you (or whoever’s running this) have Global Admin rights on the source tenant and the destination tenant.
• Licenses sorted first: Check that every user who needs Teams at the new tenant actually has a license assigned there. 
• Domain already added and verified: Get your domain set up and verified in the destination tenant ahead of time, not as a last-minute step.
• User mapping plan: Write down which source user maps to which destination user before migration starts. 
• Backup Important Data: Keep a backup of important Teams files and other critical data to add an extra layer of protection.

How to Migrate Teams from One Tenant to Another

There are two broad approaches:

• Manual migration
• Using a dedicated migration solution

The best option depends on the number of Teams, data volume, technical expertise, required migration coverage, and acceptable downtime.

Method 1: Manually Move Teams Chat from One Tenant to Another

Manual migration can work for small environments where only a few Teams need to be moved. However, it involves several separate tasks.

Step 1: Prepare the Source and Destination Tenants

Before moving anything, collect information about both environments. Check:

• Source tenant details
• Destination tenant details
• Microsoft 365 licenses
• Administrator permissions
• Domains
• User accounts
• Existing Teams
• Channels
• Team owners
• Team members
• SharePoint sites
• OneDrive content

Microsoft suggests considering identity mapping, licensing, domain migration, workload dependency, and coexistence before beginning the migration process.

Step 2: Create a Teams Inventory

Make a list of the Teams that need to be moved. For each Team, record:

• Team name
• Team type
• Owner
• Members
• Number of channels
• Private channels
• Shared channels
• Important files
• Important conversations
• Apps and tabs
• Special permissions

Step 3: Map Source Users to Destination Users

User mapping is one of the most important parts of a Teams migration. For example:

• Source: [email protected]
• Destination: [email protected]

Create a mapping list before starting the migration. Microsoft also highlights identity mapping as an important part of tenant-to-tenant migration planning.

Step 4: Recreate Teams and Channels

Create the required Teams in the destination tenant. Then recreate the required channels and assign the appropriate owners and members. This may be manageable for a few Teams. But if an organization has hundreds of Teams, doing this manually can take considerable time.

Step 5: Move Team Files

Teams files are closely connected with SharePoint. For a manual migration, administrators may need to identify the SharePoint sites and document libraries associated with the Teams, move the required files, and place them in the correct destination locations. This is one reason Teams migration should be planned together with SharePoint migration.

Step 6: Handle Conversations and Chat Data

Chat migration is more complicated than moving files. Different types of Teams conversations can have different storage and migration requirements. Some Teams data may also be subject to Microsoft 365 service and API limitations. For this reason, do not assume that exporting files or rebuilding Teams will also transfer the complete conversation history.

Step 7: Reconfigure Apps and Tabs

After the Teams structure is created, review the apps, tabs, connectors, and other integrations. Some applications may need to be installed or configured again in the destination tenant.

Step 8: Test the Destination Teams

Before users start working in the new tenant, verify:

• Teams are available
• Members have correct access
• Owners are correct
• Channels are visible
• Files open correctly
• Permissions work
• Important conversations are available where supported
• Apps and tabs work
• Links point to the correct locations

Limitations of Manual Microsoft Teams Tenant Migration

Manual migration does not necessarily mean that everything will move. Common problems include:

• High administrative effort
• Repetitive work
• User-mapping errors
• Missing metadata
• Permission differences
• Difficulty handling chat history
• Separate SharePoint and OneDrive work
• Manual recreation of Teams
• Longer migration windows
• Greater risk of overlooking data

Method 02: Professional Tool to Migrate Teams from One Tenant to Another

For a batch Teams (channels, chats, and Planner) data migration, use the SysInfo Tenant-to-Tenant Migration Tool. It helps users to migrate Teams data and perform Cross Tenant Migration. Offers a secure authentication method with numerous advanced features, such as Delta Migration, Date Filter, Remove Duplicates, and more. Additionally, it helps with custom and automated mapping options. With its simple interface, technical and non-technical users can easily use it. This tool uses the Graph API and Migration API (for MS Teams) to make sure no data loss and minimal downtime.

Quick Steps for Microsoft Teams Migration

1. Download the tool and choose Teams Migration.
2. Enter source Teams credentials for secure authentication.
3. Select the Source Teams that you want to migrate.
4. Then, enter Destination credentials to Sign In.
5. Apply features and filters as needed. Press Start Export.

Why Choose a Professional Tool Over Manual Method?

• Teams and Channel Migration: The tool should support the Teams and channels you actually need to move.
• User Mapping: A source-to-destination mapping option helps ensure that migrated data is associated with the correct users.
• File and Folder Preservation: Check whether the tool maintains the existing file and folder structure.
• Conversation Migration: If chat or channel messages are important, verify exactly which conversation types are supported.
• Private and Shared Channel Support: Private and shared channels can have different dependencies, so support should be confirmed before migration.
• Incremental or Delta Migration: A delta migration option can help transfer newly added or changed data after the initial migration. This is particularly useful when users continue working in the source tenant during the migration period.
• Migration Reports: Detailed reports help administrators identify successful and failed migration items.
• Batch Migration: For large organizations, batch processing can make it easier to migrate Teams in manageable groups.
• Data Filtering: Filters can help administrators migrate only the required Teams or data instead of moving everything.
• Secure Authentication: The migration solution should use appropriate Microsoft 365 authentication methods and should not unnecessarily store administrator credentials.

Manual vs. Automated Microsoft Teams Tenant to Tenant Migration

Conclusion

In this technical blog post, we explored several methods to migrate Teams from One Tenant to another. The manual method is used for small data and has several limitations. Therefore, it’s best to use a professional tool, such as SysInfoTools, for several reasons. It is cost-effective, migrates Mailbox, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams, and also performs deduplication. In short, this utility is called All In Solution. If you have a query related to this tool, feel free to ask our technical support. They can provide you with an instant solution without any restrictions.

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About The Author:

Simran Bhatia

Simran Bhatia is a technical content writer engaged in writing clear, concise, and SEO-optimized content. With a background in computer science and a passion for writing, I thrive to deliver complex technical content in simple layman terms.