How to change SharePoint Online site collection or subsite URL address

⭐Global Microsoft 365 or SharePoint Admin can change the URL for SharePoint sites within the Tenant - Modern team sites without O365/M365 group, Communication sites, Classic Team sites, Microsoft 365 group connected team sites.

This allows admins to change the SharePoint site name as well as the link from SharePoint Admin Center or using PowerShell script.
This feature comes handy in many cases - say the name of a project is changed, or you mispelled it, or say you earlier called it SCM and now want to rename to Supply Chain Management.

✏️Steps to change URL address of SharePoint Online site

1. Navigate to SharePoint Admin Center (need Global/SharePoint admin role).
2. Click Sites --> Active Sites.
3. Search your SharePoint site and click the site name to open details pane.
4. Under General --> URL --> click 'Edit' link.
5. Type the new URL, SharePoint will check if the URL address is available and display a message 'The site address is available'.
6. Click Save.

In this example, we are changing site address c2c-SPSite1 to c2c-SPSite2.

SharePoint Site Edit URL Address
7. You will be prompted if you want to change the site name too 'Do you also want to enter a new site name?'. Ignore if not required.

SharePoint Edit URL - change site name
8. The process will take few minutes and display the updated site address.

✌️ It can take about 10 minutes to change the site address which depends on the site size.
✌️ You can change the address of up to 100 sites at a time. But try doing it one at a time.
✌️ The site will be in read-only mode during the change. For a short duration though.
✌️ Try changing the address when site usage is low. During off hours preferably.

Steps to change the SharePoint site address using PowerShell

Make sure you run the SharePoint Online Management Shell with 'Run as Administrator'. Connect to SharePoint as a Global Admin or SharePoint Admin and run below command.

Run below PowerShell command to verify that the site address can be changed
Start-SPOSiteRename -Identity [SiteURL] -NewSiteUrl [NewSiteURl] -ValidationOnly

Run below PowerShell command to change the site address
Start-SPOSiteRename -Identity [SiteURL] -NewSiteUrl [NewSiteURl]

❓️ What happens to the old SharePoint link ?

When the site address is changed, SharePoint creates a redirect at the previous address. So you can use both the links together and they point to the same site.
If you want to reuse the previous address, you have to delete the redirect using PowerShell command.

❓️ Effects and Impact of changing the site address ?

1. Favorite/Saved/Sharing links - will be intact and work fine.
2. Recycle bin – Files from the recycle bin will be lost.
3. Site Permissions - No change.
4. Apps - Republish the apps if you change the site's address.
5. Hub sites - Reassociation required.
6. Power Apps - Reconnect the app or apps to your data source.
7. Power Automate - Flows need to be republished after recreating or updating with the new address.
8. Sync lists/libraries/folders - Sync will work without problems.
9. OneNote - Work seamlessly if it was not open during the change.
10. SharePoint Designer Workflows - Need to republish.
11. Audit logs - Entry about this change is captured in logs.
12. Customizations and embedded code - Code need to be fixed where old URL is referenced.

✖️ Any limitations ?

1. You cannot change the Tenant/Domain Name.
2. You may encounter a HTTP 500 error if you try accessing the site during the change.
3. You cannot change the URL of an eDiscovery Center site. The Edit option will be disabled.

SharePoint Edit URL - eDiscovery disabled
4. You cannot change the URL if Office 365 Compliance/Retention policy or eDiscovery hold is applied to the site.

SharePoint Edit URL - eDiscovery
You can exclude the site from policy in order to be able to change the URL and may be re-enable post the change.
5. You cannot change the URL of a HUB site.

SharePoint Edit URL - Hub Site
You can temporarily unregister the Hub and register again.
6. Group email address for Team sites connected to Microsoft/Office 365 Group will not be changed automatically. You will need to fix it using PowerShell script.
7. You cannot change URL of sites that have BCS connections.
8. If the Publishing feature is currently activated or was previously activated for the site, then changing the site address is unsupported.

For changing the URL or Name of a sub site, can navigate to the respective site --> Look and Feel --> Title, Description and Logo --> change the Title.
This will change the subsite display name as well as the URL.