Ultimate Guide to Microsoft 365 Data Storage Locations (Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams & More)

Update (September 2025): This post has been updated to include the latest changes to private channel message storage and compliance.

If you’re managing Microsoft 365, you already know it stores data across Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and more. But do you know exactly where each type of data lives—and which Microsoft Purview tools can help protect it?

In today’s fast-paced digital world, data is the lifeblood of any organization. It is the foundation upon which decisions are made, strategies are formulated, and success is measured. As a user or admin of Microsoft 365, you have access to a powerful suite of tools that enable you to create, store, and manage your data with ease. But with so many applications and features, it can be challenging to know where your data is stored and how to access it. Understanding these Microsoft 365 data storage locations is crucial for effective data management and regulatory compliance.

This comprehensive guide will help you answer the question: Where does Microsoft 365 store your data?


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Microsoft Teams – Where is my data stored?

One of the most common questions I am asked is ‘Where is my Microsoft Teams data stored’?

Why is this? In short, Microsoft Teams is not an individual application, it is a productivity hub that utilises many applications and services across Microsoft 365. Therefore Teams stores data across multiple locations.

Why do I need to know where my data is stored?

For several reasons. Knowing where your data stored helps you address the following questions:

  1. Which geographic location is my Teams data stored?
  2. How can I govern Teams when I don’t know what is stored where?
  3. Can I control who has access to my Teams data?
  4. What information protection can I apply to my Teams data?
  5. Where do I need to apply retention policies?
  6. How to ensure my eDiscovery searches are scoped to include the right locations?

Let’s dig deeper into Microsoft Teams and see where your data is being stored.


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