This is a question from Jim:
My employer is promoting Microsoft Teams usage across all departments of the business. As a project leader i am tasked to manage all related project files and communication in Teams. I have set up a few sub-project channels and each of them has a folder structure that i used to organize the files. Some time ago, i started to use the Teams Search bar in order to find files. That said, it seems that Folders are not crawled by Team search, so i can’t just search for them. Any ideas on how to proceed?
Thanks for the question, read on for our answer.
Can you search for folders in Microsoft Teams?
Finding folders in Teams is possible but still somewhat elaborated. As of today (Feb 2022) the Search bar doesn’t return results that are folder. That said, until the functionality is added by Microsoft there is a simple workaround.
Files available in Teams channels folders are actually saved in a SharePoint document library. Using the SharePoint basic capabilities you can easily find not only files but also folders.
Let’s look at a quick example:
- Open Microsoft Teams.
- We’ll first search for a specific channel. Hit the Filter button as shown below.
- Type part of your channel name. The Teams and channel list will be filtered accordingly.
- Now hit your channel name. In our case that will be London Office.
- Hit File to view your folder structure.
- Hit the Open in SharePoint button. This will open the associated SharePoint library.
- At the top of the page, you will find a Search bar. Type your search query and hit the magnifying glass. SharePoint will find the appropriate (Teams) folders in your library.
How to send a folder in Teams?
Once you find your folder in Teams, you might want to send it to others via email, chat, OneDrive or other 3rd party cloud storage. If so, look at this tutorial on how to share file folders in Microsoft Teams.
Where is the Microsoft Teams folder?
Readers of this post have asked about the default location of Microsoft Teams installation in Windows.
Typically, you should not make manual modifications of your Teams installation. In case you are interested to uninstall Teams, you should use the Add or Remove Programs functionality.
In case you would like to delete your cache directory to troubleshoot Teams, look at the following tutorial. Consult with an IT professional and make sure to backup the cache folder before any modification to your computer is made.
You can also access your Teams recording folder and default downloads directory.
Accessing Teams folders from multiple platforms
Teams vs SharePoint vs OneDrive Integration
Understanding the relationship between these three platforms is crucial for effective folder management. Teams channels store files in SharePoint document libraries, while private chats save to participants’ OneDrive accounts. When searching for folders, consider which platform originally housed the content—channel folders require SharePoint search methods, while private conversation folders are better accessed through OneDrive’s search functionality.
Sync Considerations for Desktop Users
If you’ve synced Teams folders to your local computer through OneDrive sync, you can use Windows File Explorer search to locate folders more quickly. This method leverages your computer’s native search indexing, which is often faster than web-based searches. Enable “Always keep on this device” for important folders to ensure they’re available for offline search and access.
Browser-Specific Search Limitations
Different web browsers may handle Teams folder searches differently. Chrome and Edge generally provide the most consistent search experience, while Firefox users might encounter occasional sync delays. For optimal search performance, ensure your browser has sufficient cache space allocated and consider clearing browser data if search results seem outdated or incomplete.