So You Want to Rename Your SharePoint Online Tenant? Read This First

So You Want to Rename Your SharePoint Online Tenant? Read This First



Let’s be honest, choosing a tenant name isn’t always a carefully considered decision. Maybe it was chosen in a rush during initial setup, or maybe it made perfect sense at the time but no longer reflects your organization after a rebrand or merger. Whatever the reason, the good news is that Microsoft allows you to rename your SharePoint Online tenant.

But just because you can doesn’t mean you should jump in without a solid plan. I’ve performed several tenant renames since this feature became available, and where it fits as a solution, it’s a great alternative to migrating everything into a brand-new tenant just to change the name.

I recently worked with a client to rename their tenant, and while the technical steps were fairly straightforward, the overall impact reached much further than many expect. I thought it was a good opportunity to share what I’ve learned after managing multiple renames over the years.

At its core, a tenant rename updates your SharePoint and OneDrive URLs — for example, changing from https://oldname.sharepoint.com to https://newname.sharepoint.com. But this seemingly simple change can ripple through your Microsoft 365 environment in complex and unexpected ways.

Before scheduling the rename, I always take time to assess every system and service that could be affected — SharePoint sites, OneDrive, Power Automate flows, Power Apps, Power BI, Teams, scripts, third-party tools, and more. Microsoft takes care of the backend transition, but the responsibility to ensure a smooth experience for users lies with you!

One of the most impactful decisions I’ve learned to prioritize is scheduling the rename as far in advance as possible. This not only gives Microsoft’s backend processes time to prepare, but it also gives me time to verify dependencies, coordinate communications, validate the change plan, and ensure users have time to adjust. Choosing a low-usage window, like a weekend, also helps minimize disruption.

For every rename project, I rely heavily on Microsoft’s documentation. If you're considering a rename, I highly recommend reviewing the official guidance before you start:

📘 Change your SharePoint domain name
📘 Troubleshooting common errors
📘 Rename FAQ

In the case of my most recent client, the rename process itself went smoothly — but only because we approached it like a full project: with structured planning, stakeholder communication, change management, and post-rename validation. It’s definitely one of those “measure ten times, cut once” scenarios.

So yes, you can rename your SharePoint tenant. Just make sure you give yourself the time to fully understand what will be impacted and prepare thoroughly. A name change might seem simple, but in Microsoft 365, it rarely is.

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