Note
Links to additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be found at the end of this guide.
This article answers common questions about how SharePoint Sites migrations handle site-level content. It also helps you troubleshoot common issues, so you can find out why something did not migrate as expected and how to fix it.
Site-Level Content FAQs
This section answers common questions about how site-level content is handled during SharePoint site migrations.
What does a SharePoint Sites migration move now?
It moves your document libraries and the site around them, including: subsites, navigation, theme, regional settings, features, columns, content types, term store, lists, pages, groups, permissions and hub association.
Do subsites get their own navigation, groups and content types?
Yes. The migration copies site-level content for every subsite in scope, not just the top-level site.
Can I leave some of it out?
Yes. Untick the option on Select what to migrate or filter out subsites and libraries with the line item's Filter icon.
Why did my time zone, root logo, or banner image not migrate?
This release does not migrate these settings. Set them yourself at the destination after the migration.
Does the migration include page templates?
Yes. Page templates migrate with the rest of the site’s pages.
Does the migration include retention, DLP, or sensitivity label policies?
No. This release does not migrate governance and policy settings.
Does the migration include guest and external permissions?
No, by design. If outside users need access, add them again at the destination.
In what order should I migrate hub sites?
Migrate the hub site first, then its member sites.
What happens if I run the migration again?
Each new run:
- Applies again any content that changed at the source.
- Retries any steps that did not finish.
- Clears and rebuilds navigation that changed.
- Overwrites pages that changed.
It does not:
- Retry warnings on pages, list items, the theme, the time zone, or the term store unless the source changed.
- Copy custom list items again. See the next question.
Why did new list items at the source not get migrated to the destination on a later pass?
The migration copies custom list items only on the run that creates the list. To copy them again, delete the list at the destination and run the migration again.
Where can I see what the migration skipped?
Open the line item’s warnings. Most skipped items appear there with the reason. Some issues, such as failed permission writes and certain read errors, show up only in the migration logs. If something is missing and you do not see a warning for it, contact support.
Site-Level Content Troubleshooting
The following table lists common migration issues, why they happen, and how to fix them. Find the symptom that matches your issue and follow its resolution.
| Symptom | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| "Only the files came across, not the site" | Site-level options were unticked (possibly saved with Remember my selection) | Tick the options on Select what to migrate: and run again |
| Member site not joined to its hub | The hub site was not migrated first, or isn't a hub at the destination | Migrate the hub site, then run the member site again |
|
When using Delegated permissions: Hub site registration requires SharePoint Admin — destination was not registered as a hub |
Destination account is not a SharePoint Admin | Use a SharePoint admin service account for the destination, run again |
| Time zone is wrong at the destination | Time zone is not migrated | Set it in Site Settings → Regional Settings |
| Root site logo or banner image missing | Not migrated | Set them manually at the destination |
| Drafts arrived as published versions, or a library's version limit differs from the source | The library's versioning settings could not be applied (reported in the migration logs only) | Set them in source Library settings → Versioning settings and migrate again. Contact support if persists |
| A navigation link is missing | It pointed at a filtered-out subsite, a source-only Office viewer link, or a Conversations link on a site without a Microsoft 365 group | Check the line item's warnings; add the link manually if needed |
| A navigation link opens the source site | Its target could not be resolved at the destination | Fix it in Site Settings → Navigation |
| A page shows a placeholder web part | The web part depends on the source tenant | Reconfigure the web part at the destination |
| List '<name>': item create failed: … | SharePoint rejected the list item (often a person or lookup value) | Contact Support |
| A custom list is empty, or new or changed source items didn't come across on a later pass | List items are copied only on the pass that creates the list; the list already existed at the destination | Delete the list at the destination and run the migration again |
| A custom list is missing | Its template is not supported, or Custom Lists was unticked | Check the list template and the selected options |
| A subsite and its content are missing | Site Settings was unticked, so the subsite was not created | Tick Site Settings and run again |
| An empty library appeared that was filtered out | Site Navigation creates the libraries its links point to | Delete the empty library, or untick Site Navigation |
| Destination navigation edits disappeared | Navigation changed at the source, so it was cleared and rebuilt | Make navigation changes in the destination after the last pass |
| A warning from an earlier pass (page, list item, theme, time zone, term store) was not fixed by running again | These are not retried unless the source changes | Fix it manually at the destination, or change the item at the source and run again |
| Could not apply color theme '<name>' … | SharePoint did not accept the theme, or the DestinationThemeName value | Set the theme in Change the look, or correct the option |
| Line item fails at the start with permission probe errors, for example Web.SiteGroups.Read: <error>; Web.RoleDefinitions.Read: <error> (or WhoAmI: <error> for sign-in) | The destination account can't sign in or can't read the site's groups or permission levels. This is checked on every start, whatever options are ticked | Give the destination account full control of the site, run again |
| Governance settings (retention, DLP, labels) missing | Not part of this release | Configure them at the destination |
Messages You May See
This section lists the messages you may see during migration and explains what each one means and how to respond.
| Message | Meaning and action |
|---|---|
| Navigation node '<name>' was skipped: its target subsite was excluded from migration by the scope filter, so it would 404 at the destination | The linked subsite was filtered out |
| Navigation node '<name>' was written as an external link because its target URL was not resolvable at the destination site... | Correct it in Site Settings > Navigation after migration completes |
| Navigation node '<name>' was skipped: the destination site is not connected to a Microsoft 365 Group, so the Conversations link cannot be reproduced | Add the link by hand if needed |
| Timezone for web '<url>' (source ID <id>) could not be set programmatically. Set it manually via Site Settings > Regional Settings | Set the time zone by hand |
| Hub site '<url>' was not found at the destination tenant... | Migrate the hub first. The site joins on its next pass |
| The term store was not migrated because of an unexpected error: <error>. Migrate again | Running again does not retry it unless the term store changed at the source. Contact support if it is still missing |
| No destination web matches the source web '<path>' ... it was not applied and will be tried again on a later pass | Tick Site Settings so the subsite is created, then run again |
| Web Part Page '<name>' contained no extractable rich-text zones; non-text web parts are not migrated | Rebuild the non text web parts at the destination |
| Classic page layout '<name>' has no modern equivalent mapping; page migrated as blank modern page. Review manually | Rebuild the page content |
| Could not set site home page to '<page>' ... set manually in Site Settings > Welcome Page | Set the home page by hand |
| List '<name>': field '<column>' could not be created: ... | Contact Support |
Still need help?
Contact support and include:
- the project name and the line item that shows the problem;
- the exact message you see, copied as written.
- the date and time of the run or pass.
- a screenshot of the line item or screen.
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