How to Actually Use Office 365 Security Groups in SharePoint Online
Ever tried to share a document or calendar in your company, only to feel helpless about who has access—or worse, who shouldn’t? You’re definitely not alone. With remote work and digital collaboration bigger than ever, making sure the right people see (and don’t see) the right things is critical.
Microsoft’s Office 365 has a solution: security groups. If you’ve heard the term but aren’t clear on what it means, or how to actually use it in SharePoint Online, let’s walk through it together in plain English.
What Are Security Groups, Really?
Think of security groups as membership cards you hand out to different rooms (resources) in your digital office. Instead of adding Bob, Linda, and half the company individually every time, just add everyone to the right group, then let the group into SharePoint, Teams, or wherever you need.
There are two main flavors:
- Office 365 groups
These usually get created automatically when you add a new team in Microsoft Teams, or you can make them yourself. They’re extra handy because they can manage access to lots of Office 365 stuff all at once SharePoint sites, mailboxes, calendars, files, and more. - Security-only groups
These are a little more basic and are mostly used for setting security on resources within Office 365 (but not external apps or file shares).
When you’re setting things up, add members from places like the global address list, other groups, or even straight from SharePoint.
How To Add an Office 365 Group to SharePoint Online
Ready for the real-life steps? You have a couple of routes here, but the overall process is simple:
- Find your site in SharePoint Online.
- Go to People and Groups (usually in Site Actions > Edit in Browser > People and Groups).
- Click New, then Office 365 Group.
- Type the group’s name.
Decide their role—do they just read, or can they contribute? - Save your changes. Easy!
You can use this to add a group as a “member,” “reader,” or “contributor”—whatever makes sense for your working style.
Tools and Features You’ll Come Across
- The Security Groups Tool:
Found in the Office 365 admin center under More Features and Users/Permissions, this is your hub for making, editing, or deleting groups. - Group Settings Page:
This is where you tweak how a group works—name, description, owner, who can see what, and if people need approval to join. - Grant Permissions Dialog
Here’s where you decide exactly what a group can do on a site or library—think “view only,” “edit,” or “full control.”
Why Go Through the Trouble? The Benefits
- Better Security: You get granular control—no more “accidentally sent to all staff” panic.
- Easier Admin Work: Add or remove users from a single group, rather than chasing them down in every app or site.
- Flexibility: Make groups for projects, departments, or roles—and adjust any time as work evolves.
- Smoother Collaboration: The right folks can always find what they need and work together, and you cut down on friction and risk of leaks.
Quick Tips & Best Practices
- Don’t go overboard adding users! – Only add people who genuinely need access. Overstuffed groups = more risk and admin work.
- Clean up old users regularly – When someone changes jobs or leaves, zap them from groups they don’t need.
- Use groups for specific needs. A group per project or document library makes things easier to manage and track.
Office 365 Security Groups Frequently Asked Questions
What are Office 365 security groups, and how do they work with SharePoint Online?
Office 365 security groups are collections of users given identical levels of access to resources. In SharePoint Online, you can use these groups to streamline management and improve security by granting access to entire groups rather than individual users. This approach simplifies permissions and ensures consistent security policies.
What is the difference between Office 365 groups and security-only groups?
Office 365 Groups are tied to collaborative features and can be used to manage access to a wider set of Microsoft 365 resources (including SharePoint, Teams, and Exchange). Security-only groups, in contrast, are specifically designed for granting access to resources without the collaboration tools that come with Office 365 Groups.
How do you add an Office 365 Group as a member or contributor to a SharePoint Online site?
To add an Office 365 Group:
Go to Site Actions in your SharePoint Online site.
Choose ‘People and Groups’.
Select ‘New’ > ‘Office 365 Group’.
Enter the group name.
Assign the desired permissions (member, reader, or contributor).
Save your changes.
The Office 365 Group will then grant its members access to the site according to the assigned permission level.
What tools are available in SharePoint Online for managing security groups?
You can manage Office 365 and security groups using:
The Security Groups Tool in the Office 365 admin center (create, edit, or delete groups).
The Group Settings page (manage group names, descriptions, ownership, and membership).
The Grant Permissions dialog (specify what access each group has on SharePoint content).
What are the key benefits of using security groups in SharePoint Online?
Improved security: Centralized control makes it easier to implement targeted access.
Easier administration: Simplifies user management and permission assignment.
Greater flexibility: Allows you to group users for different access needs.
Improved collaboration: Ensures the right users can work together efficiently while protecting sensitive content.
What are some best practices for managing Office 365 Groups in SharePoint Online?
Add users to groups only if they need access to those resources.
Promptly remove users from groups when access is no longer needed.
Create specific groups for distinct purposes/sites—avoid using a single group for multiple, unrelated resources.
Regularly audit group membership to maintain security and organization.
Can Office 365 groups control access to both Office 365 and non-Office 365 resources?
Office 365 Groups can manage access to various Office 365 resources (SharePoint, Teams, Exchange, OneDrive) and some non-Office 365 resources, like file shares and supported application workloads. Security-only groups, however, are more limited in resource scope.
Why use groups instead of individual permissions in SharePoint Online?
Assigning permissions at the group level reduces errors, administrative overhead, and improves scalability. As teams grow or change, simply update group membership to control access, rather than adjusting permissions for each user individually.
How do I maintain security when using Office 365 Groups with SharePoint?
Regularly review which users are in each group, use descriptive group names, and remove users promptly when they change roles or leave the organization. Use different groups for different tasks to enforce the principle of least privilege.
Final Thoughts
Security groups aren’t just a “nice to have”—they’re essential if you want SharePoint Online (and all of Office 365) to work for you without causing permission headaches or security scares. Get to know them, use them wisely, and you’ll see a more organized, safer, and less stressful digital workplace. Contact us today to request a free Sharepoint Consultation