For anyone concerned about Global Admin overreach in Teams and Microsoft 365 — here’s what Global
Admins
actually can (and can’t) do.
Key Takeaway
Global Administrators cannot search for or access files in Microsoft Teams beyond their own
permissions.
The Teams interface shows them exactly what any regular user would see — only their own files and files
shared with them.
Any access to other files requires separate administrative tools that leave complete audit trails.
✅ What Global Admins Can Do
Global Administrators are responsible for managing the health, security, and access across Microsoft
365. Their role includes powerful tools — but all of this work is done in the back
end
(admin centers and tools), not through the usual front-end applications like Teams or Outlook:
- Configure security and access settings
(They manage who has access to what, including roles, licenses, and policies.)
- Reset passwords and unlock accounts
(Helping staff regain access to their accounts — though not intended for data access.)
- Run organisation-wide reports and dashboards
(They can monitor system usage, security, and compliance through built-in tools.)
- Set up new apps and services
(Admins can deploy Teams, SharePoint, or Exchange for the organisation.)
- Support investigations when authorised
(They can run searches or access files, but only through official tools with full logging.)
Important: Global Admins help manage systems and enforce policies — but they do
not have automatic access to private files, messages, or user content.
❌ What Global Admins Cannot Do
Despite their high-level role, Global Administrators do not have automatic access
to everyone's files or private content. Like all users, they are bound by Microsoft 365's security
rules:
- They cannot search across everyone's files in Teams
(Search results only show files they already have permission to access.)
- They cannot read private Teams chats or messages
(Private chats are protected unless accessed through legal/compliance tools.)
- They cannot view OneDrive or SharePoint files unless shared with them
(They must be added manually or use administrative tools — and both actions are logged.)
- They cannot bypass file permissions through the Teams interface
(Even with full admin rights, they're still blocked unless access is explicitly granted.)
Important: Microsoft 365 enforces strict access controls — even for Global Admins.
No one can quietly browse or search through user files without being detected.
Access Methods: Front-End vs Back-End
This table shows the fundamental difference between what Global Admins can do in Teams versus what
requires separate admin tools.
| Where They Access Files |
What They Can See |
Audit Trail |
Key Point |
| Teams (Front-End) |
Only their own files + files shared with them |
Standard user activity logs |
No special access |
| Admin Tools (Back-End) |
Any files (with proper tools) |
Fully logged & auditable |
Requires deliberate action |
Key Point: There's no "secret search" in Teams. Any access
to other files requires leaving Teams and using separate admin tools that leave clear audit trails.
Evidence and Audit Trails
Any time a Global Administrator accesses data, Microsoft 365 creates comprehensive audit records.
Note: The specific audit events and log details shown below may vary depending on
your Microsoft 365 license, configuration, and security settings. These are common examples of what
gets logged.
What Gets Logged
- File access and downloads – Every file opened, viewed, or downloaded
- Permission changes – When admins add themselves to sites or folders
- Legal/compliance searches – All content searches and exports
- Password resets – When admin passwords are changed
- Admin center access – Every login to administrative interfaces
- Automatic system access – When systems or scripts (not people) access
files or data
Log Details Captured
- User ID – Who performed the action
- Timestamp – Exact date and time (to the second)
- IP Address – Where the action was performed from
- Action Type – Specific operation performed
- Resource Accessed – Which file, site, or data was accessed
- Client Application – What tool or interface was used
Why This Matters
If a Global Administrator accessed files through any administrative tools, there would be a complete
audit trail showing exactly when, what, and how they accessed the files. This audit log cannot be
modified or deleted — not even by Global Administrators.
Important: Global Administrator actions are retained in
audit logs for 180 days, regardless of your Microsoft 365 license level.
Learn more about Unified Audit Logs in Microsoft 365
What This Means
If someone claims a Global Admin accessed their files through Teams, either:
- The files were already shared with the admin, or
- The admin used proper administrative tools (which would be logged), or
- The claim is incorrect