Is SharePoint Part of Office 365? A Detailed Explanation

Mack John ~ Published: December 11th, 2025 ~ SharePoint ~ 6 Minutes Reading

Many people as is SharePoint part of Office 365, and the answer that I gave them was yes, it is a part of Office 365. SharePoint is a tool inside Microsoft’s cloud apps. Another common question that I heard more frequently is SharePoint included in Microsoft 365, and that also has the same answer, which is yes. SharePoint helps you store files, share information, and work with your team easily.

In this article, I will walk you through how SharePoint works inside Office 365, what it actually does, and the benefits of having SharePoint inside Office 365. Also, suggest to you some professional and reliable tools which will help you in the future. Without wasting any time, let’s begin.

Understanding How SharePoint Works Inside Office 365

In order to properly understand what is SharePoint online or whether is SharePoint part of Office 365, it is important to understand how Microsoft builds its cloud services. Office 365 is no longer limited to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. SharePoint Online is one of the core services and the backbone, as it stores files, internal sites, and departmental knowledge bases.

Most of the time, businesses ask me whether they need to buy SharePoint separately. I told them that most Office 365 bundles already have it.

Related article: Download Video from SharePoint

What Exactly Does SharePoint Do Inside Office 365?

Over the years, working with SharePoint, and based my professional experience. I have realised that SharePoint acts as the “content engine” behind Office 365. Here are some practical examples from my experiences:

  1. It stores files behind Microsoft Teams, and most people don’t know that every time they create a SharePoint Site in Teams, it automatically builds a site in the background to store files and manage permissions of the new team each time they make.
  2. It helps the company’s intranet. Helping many clients in building full communication portals, HR hubs, and departmental sites in SharePoint Online without interrupting the core intranet experience. There are some example of SharePoint Intranet
  3. It play Secure Document Management System role, which offers versioning, permission control, metadata tagging, retention policies, and advanced search features that you don’t get in simple file storage solutions.
  4. It supports Business Automation by using Power Automate, which helps SharePoint to run easy workflows like approvals, sending alerts, and handling data automatically.

So when clients ask me “if is SharePoint part of Office 365”, I tell them that SharePoint isn’t just a part, it is one of the main pillars that helps the whole Office 365 system work smoothly.

Why the Confusion Still Exists

Most of the bunch of people still think that SharePoint is a separate product, even though now it comes with Office 365. This confusion mostly comes from the old days when SharePoint had to be installed on a company’s own servers. I still remember the days when I was spending hours managing those servers, setting up farms, web apps, and fixing security settings.

To date, Microsoft is moving almost everything to the cloud, and SharePoint Online is already included as a default part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. That’s the reason many people still ask, “Is SharePoint part of Office 365”? Because the platform has changed a lot from what it is.

Benefits of Having SharePoint Inside Office 365

Over the years, I have worked on various migration and deployment projects for my clients, and I have seen how businesses benefit from SharePoint’s inclusion in Office 365.

1. SharePoint provides you with centralized data storage, with Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook all integrating seamlessly for backend storage.

2. Seamless use SharePoint for collaboration allows many people to instantly edit, share, and organize documents together.

3. Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure offers high-level security with compliance, encryption, and advanced protection tools.

4. Easy Access for Remote Workers, SharePoint allows users to access their files and tools from anywhere, making it perfect for hybrid or fully remote setups.

Asking is SharePoint part of Office 365 is really important for businesses that want to fully utilize these collaboration features. Is SharePoint included in Microsoft 365? Yes, and the subscription plans clearly outline what storage and features you get.

Why You Still Need Backups Even Though SharePoint Is In Office 365

One of the big myths that I heard is:

If SharePoint is in Office 365, Microsoft automatically backs up all my data. I need to clear it by saying that’s not true, as Microsoft uses a shared responsibility model. They take care of the infrastructure, but securing your data is only your responsibility.

I have seen many organisation losing their important documents because of:

  • Data is getting deleted accidentally
  • SharePoint Online Permissions might set up incorrectly
  • Files are getting infected with malware
  • Ransomware that goes after devices connected and synced together
  • Accidental errors that can possibly happen when you are shifting or rearranging things

That’s why I always recommended a reliable backup or migration tool, mostly during major restructuring.

Why I Recommend the Backup Tool

Most of the time, organizations ask me how they can protect their data across Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. This is the time I always recommend a professional and reliable tool, and that is the SharePoint Migrator Tool. Here’s the reason why:

  • It helps you securely and safely back up SharePoint sites, libraries, lists, and metadata.
  • It helps you in migrating content to another tenant during mergers and restructures.
  • It stores permissions, versions, file hierarchy, and site structure.
  • It helps you by acting as a safety shield during cyberattacks or accidental data loss.
  • It helps in migrating large-scale data and doesn’t even consume much time.

In short, even though businesses want to understand is SharePoint part of Office 365, I tell them that even if it is a part of Office 365 but it doesn’t guarantee 100 percent data safety; you need to take full authority of it. Is SharePoint included in Microsoft 365? Yes, but the backups are not included.

Author’s Verdict

After working with Office 365 and SharePoint for years now, I can confidently say that understanding whether is SharePoint part of Office 365 is important for any business that is using Microsoft’s cloud services. It is just not just a feature; it is a foundational piece that powers collaboration, communication, and automation.

While Is SharePoint included in the Microsoft 365 bundle of business and enterprise tiers, it is your responsibility to take care of your data. That’s where using a tool is a wise decision, as it helps you to secure your data for a long period of time.

FAQ’s

Q. Is SharePoint an important part of Office 365?

Yes, it is very important from the perspective of Office 365 as it is one of the core services and the backbone of the ecosystem.

Q. Does SharePoint work well for remote teams?

Yes, it works pretty well as users can access files from anywhere on any device.

Q. Can someone accidentally delete SharePoint data?

Yes, it can happen, and there is a possibility that permissions will also be deleted. 

Q. Is it safe to use SharePoint inside Office 365?

Yes, it is absolutely safe to use as Microsoft provides strong cloud security and compliance features.

Q. Does Microsoft Teams use SharePoint to store its files?

Yes, every team’s channel automatically uses a SharePoint site.