How Do You Associate Sites to a Hub in SharePoint?

Hub Sites are one of the most powerful features in SharePoint Online. They allow you to connect related sites under a common structure, making navigation easier, branding consistent, and content easier to discover.

Once a Hub Site is created, other sites can be associated with it. This article explains why hub associations matter, who can do it, and how to associate a site step by step.

🤔 Why Associate Sites to a Hub?

Associating sites to a Hub solves many common SharePoint challenges, especially in large or growing organizations.

Key benefits include:

Centralized navigation across related sites
Consistent branding and themes
Easier content discovery and search across sites
A scalable structure as new sites are created

Instead of relying on subsites, hub associations keep sites independent while still connected.

🛠️ Steps to Associate a Site to a Hub

Associating a site to a Hub is simple and does not require complex configuration.

Step-by-step process:

Go to the site you want to associate
Click the Settings (⚙️ gear icon) in the top-right corner
Select Site information
In the Hub site association dropdown, choose the required Hub Site
Click Save

Once saved:

The site inherits the hub navigation
Hub branding and theme are applied automatically
Content becomes part of the hub’s search scope

🔐 Who Can Associate Sites to a Hub?

Hub associations are permission-based, so not everyone can perform them.

Here’s how permissions work:

Site Owners can request or initiate a hub association
Hub Site Owners or SharePoint Admins can approve or restrict associations
Admins can control whether approval is required for associations

This ensures governance while still allowing flexibility.

📊 Hub Sites vs Associated Sites

Understanding the difference helps avoid confusion:

Hub Site
Acts as the central point for navigation, branding, and content roll-ups.
Associated Site
Remains an independent site but inherits navigation and design from the hub.
Content, permissions, and settings are still managed locally.

This model provides structure without the limitations of traditional subsites.

✅ Benefits of Associating Sites to a Hub

When sites are associated with a hub, organizations gain:

A consistent brand identity across multiple sites
Seamless cross-site navigation
Improved search relevance and discoverability
Centralized structure with decentralized ownership
Easier long-term scalability and governance

💡 Best Practices for Hub Associations

To get the most value from hub sites:

Plan your hub structure before associating sites
Use clear and consistent naming conventions
Avoid creating too many hubs—it can confuse users
Clearly define roles and permissions for hub and site owners
Review hub associations periodically as the organization evolves

Good planning upfront prevents rework later.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Associating sites to a Hub Site is a simple but powerful way to organize your SharePoint environment. It delivers consistent navigation, unified branding, and a scalable structure—without sacrificing site independence.

By following best practices and using hub sites strategically, organizations can build a clean, modern, and future-ready SharePoint digital workplace.

How do you associate sites to a hub?