A well-structured SharePoint site navigation improves usability and helps users quickly find the content they need. Whether you’re working with a Team Site or a Communication Site, customizing navigation ensures better accessibility, enhances collaboration, and provides a streamlined user experience.
This guide walks you through step-by-step instructions on how to customize SharePoint site navigation, including adding links, managing hub sites, adjusting permissions, and optimizing navigation best practices.
1. Types of Navigation in SharePoint
Before customizing, it’s important to understand the different navigation options available in modern SharePoint:
Site Navigation (Local Navigation)
- Appears on the left sidebar (for Team Sites) or top horizontal bar (for Communication Sites).
- Helps users navigate within a specific site.
Hub Site Navigation (Global Navigation)
- Used when multiple SharePoint sites are connected under a hub site.
- Ensures consistent navigation across multiple sites in an organization.
Megamenu Navigation
- Available in Communication Sites and Hub Sites.
- Displays a dropdown menu with multiple levels of links, providing a structured hierarchy.
Tip: Choose the right navigation type based on the site’s purpose—Team Sites benefit from side navigation, while Communication Sites and Hub Sites work best with a top navigation bar or megamenu.
2. Customizing the Site Navigation Menu
Adding, Editing, and Removing Links in Site Navigation
Steps to Add a Navigation Link in SharePoint (Modern Sites):
- Navigate to your SharePoint site.
- Click on the gear icon (⚙) in the top-right corner.
- Select Site settings → Click on Change the look → Choose Navigation.
- In the navigation panel, click Edit.
- Click + Add link and enter:
- Display name (e.g., “HR Policies”)
- URL (e.g., link to a document library or external site)
- Click OK, then Save to apply changes.
Tip: Keep navigation simple—use short, meaningful link names to help users find content quickly.
Reordering Navigation Links
- Go to Edit Navigation (follow the steps above).
- Drag and drop links to rearrange them.
- Click Save to apply changes.
Removing a Link from Navigation
- Open the Edit Navigation panel.
- Click the … (ellipsis) next to the link you want to remove.
- Select Delete and confirm.
- Click Save.
Tip: Keep navigation streamlined—remove outdated or irrelevant links to reduce clutter.
3. Creating a Megamenu for Advanced Navigation
Megamenus allow you to create dropdown menus with multiple categories and subcategories for a structured look.
Steps to Enable Megamenu in SharePoint:
- Go to Site Settings.
- Click on Change the look → Select Navigation.
- Under Navigation Style, choose Megamenu.
- Click Save.
Steps to Customize Megamenu Links:
- Click Edit Navigation.
- Add a new heading (category).
- Under that heading, add sub-links (e.g., “HR” → “Leave Policies”, “Benefits”).
- Click Save.
Tip: Megamenus are ideal for Communication Sites and Hub Sites with many sections.
4. Hub Site Navigation: Creating Global Navigation
If your organization has multiple SharePoint sites, setting up a Hub Site ensures consistent navigation across all sites.
Steps to Set Up Hub Site Navigation:
- Navigate to the hub site (parent site).
- Click the gear icon (⚙) → Site Settings.
- Under Hub Site Settings, click Edit Navigation.
- Add links to related sites, documents, or external resources.
- Click Save to apply changes.
Tip: Use hub sites to unify navigation across departments (e.g., HR, IT, Finance).
5. Configuring Audience-Targeted Navigation
Audience Targeting allows you to show different navigation links to different groups based on their permissions or roles.
Steps to Enable Audience Targeting:
- Open Site Navigation Settings.
- Find the link you want to target and click Edit.
- Toggle Enable Audience Targeting to On.
- Select the Microsoft 365 Group or SharePoint Group that should see the link.
- Click Save.
Tip: Use audience targeting to personalize navigation for different teams or departments.
6. Optimizing Navigation for Better User Experience
To make navigation more intuitive and user-friendly, follow these best practices:
Keep Navigation Simple
✔ Limit top-level links to 5-7 items.
✔ Use short, meaningful names (avoid technical jargon).
✔ Group similar content under dropdowns or sections.
Use Quick Links & Buttons
✔ Add Quick Links web parts for frequently accessed pages.
✔ Use buttons for call-to-actions (e.g., “Submit a Request”).
Enable Search & Filters
✔ Use Search web parts for easy document retrieval.
✔ Add metadata filters to refine search results.
Maintain Navigation Consistency
✔ Align navigation across all team and communication sites.
✔ Ensure consistent styling and terminology.
Tip: Conduct user testing to check if navigation is intuitive for employees.Conclusion
Customizing SharePoint site navigation ensures a seamless user experience and improves content discoverability.
- Use simple, well-structured navigation to help users find content faster.
- Enable megamenus and hub site navigation for large organizations.
- Apply audience targeting to personalize navigation for different user groups.
- Test and optimize navigation regularly to keep it effective and relevant.
By implementing these best practices, you can create an intuitive and user-friendly SharePoint navigation system that enhances collaboration and productivity.