Microsoft Teams: How to Pin Posts, Channels, Video, and Files

To pin items in Microsoft Teams, open the item’s More options (…) menu and choose the appropriate command: Pin for a channel post, Show in > Favorites for a channel in the newer layout, and Pin for me for a meeting video. To highlight a channel file, use Pin to top in its document library.

These instructions focus on Teams for work or school on a computer. Menu labels can vary by layout and rollout. The examples use a project channel called Planning.

What does pinning affect?

1. Pin a channel post

1. Open the channel and find the post or reply. Hover over it, select More options (…), and choose Pin. Follow any confirmation shown.

2. Select Open channel details in the channel’s upper-right corner. Look under Pinned posts. The pane shows the three most recent pins; select Pinned to see them all.

3. To remove the pin, return to the original post and select More options > Unpin.

A pinned channel post is available through channel details; do not expect it to stay at the top of the chronological feed. If Pin is missing, ask a team owner or channel moderator to check your permissions. See Microsoft’s channel details guide.

2. Keep a channel in Favorites

1. Find the channel in your list of chats and channels, select More options (…), and open Show in.

2. Choose Favorites, then open the channel from that section whenever you need it. This organizes your own navigation; it does not rearrange everyone else’s list.

3. If your layout does not offer Show in, use More options > Pin instead. In that layout, choose Unpin later to reverse it.

Both routes are documented in Microsoft’s channel organization instructions. Follow the command available in your version.

3. Pin a meeting video for yourself

1. Join the meeting, hover over the person’s video, and select More options (…) beside their name. Choose Pin for me.

2. Continue the meeting with that participant pinned, regardless of who is speaking. You can also pin your own video through the same menu.

3. To undo it, hover over the pinned video and select More options > Unpin for me.

Pinning affects only your view. To highlight someone for the whole meeting, an organizer or presenter uses Spotlight for everyone. Other attendees do not inherit your personal pin. See Microsoft’s video controls guide.

4. Pin files and folders to the top

Channel files are stored in SharePoint. The current Teams tab is called Shared; older layouts may say Files.

1. Open the channel’s Shared tab and locate the file in its library. If Pin to top is unavailable there, choose More commands (…)> Open in SharePoint. This route is covered in Microsoft’s channel file guide.

2. In the modern SharePoint library, right-click the file or folder, or open its item menu, and choose Pin to top.

3. Check the thumbnail above the file list. SharePoint supports up to three highlighted items per library, folder, or view. To reverse the change, right-click the highlighted item and choose Unpin.

Pins are specific to the folder or library view where you set them. Custom views need their own pins, and this feature is unavailable in SharePoint’s classic experience. See Microsoft’s document library instructions.

Need a document permanently available as a tab?

For a supported file already shared in the channel, select Add a tab (+), add its app, such as Word, choose the file, and select Save. This creates a separate shortcut. Follow Microsoft’s tab instructions; your organization may restrict adding tabs.

If a pin option is missing

Check that you opened the correct menu: a post, channel name, video tile, and file each have different commands. For posts, check with the channel owner. For files, use the modern SharePoint library. A personal Favorites entry or video pin will not make an item appear for everyone else.