How to Disable Built-in Site Templates in SharePoint Online?
SharePoint Online offers several built-in site templates that provide preconfigured site structures and features. By using these templates, you can quickly create business-specific sites without requiring extensive customization. You can apply any built-in template using the “Apply a site template” link under your existing sites’ “Site Settings” menu. However, in some cases, you may want to disable some or all of these templates to ensure that users do not create sites using these templates. In this article, we will discuss how to disable built-in site templates in SharePoint Online.
Hide Built-in Site Templates using PowerShell
To hide either a specific site template or all built-in site templates, use the PowerShell cmdlet Set-SPOBuiltInSiteTemplateSettings. Here is the PowerShell script to hide all built-in site templates:
#Connect to SharePoint Online Admin Center
Connect-SPOService -Url "https://crescent-admin.sharepoint.com"
#Disable All Templates
Set-SPOBuiltInSiteTemplateSettings -Identity "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" -IsHidden $True
After disabling the site template(s), you can verify that it has been disabled by going to the apply site template page. You should see the “From Microsoft” tab on the site templates page below:
To enable all templates back, use the following:
#Enable site Templates
Set-SPOBuiltInSiteTemplateSettings -Identity "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" -IsHidden $False
PnP PowerShell to Hide Builtin Site Templates in SharePoint Online
You can also manage the built-in site templates with the PnP PowerShell cmdlet Set-PnPBuiltInSiteTemplateSettings. Here is the PowerShell script to hide all built-in site templates globally:
#Connect to SharePoint Online Admin Center
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://crescent-admin.sharepoint.com" -Interactive
#Hide All Site Templates
Set-PnPBuiltInSiteTemplateSettings -Template All -IsHidden $true
You can hide a specific site template by its name or GUID:
Set-PnPBuiltInSiteTemplateSettings -Template EventPlanning -IsHidden $true
In summary, By disabling built-in site templates in SharePoint Online, you can prevent users from creating sites using inappropriate templates for your company. Using PowerShell, you can easily disable built-in site templates by following the steps outlined in this article.
