🌍 Global vs Local Navigation in SharePoint

Navigation in SharePoint Online plays a crucial role in how users move across sites, pages, and resources. When navigation is designed well, people find information faster, collaborate more easily, and feel confident using the intranet.

Two key navigation types shape this experience: Global Navigation and Local Navigation. Understanding the difference between them helps you design an intranet that is both intuitive and scalable.

🌐 What Is Global Navigation?

Global navigation is the top-level navigation that stays consistent across your SharePoint environment. It allows users to access important organizational resources from anywhere, without needing to return to a home page.

Global navigation is usually implemented through:

Hub site navigation, which connects related sites
The SharePoint app bar, which provides organization-wide links

When to use global navigation

Global navigation works best for:

HR portals
IT support and service desks
Company policies
Department or business-unit hubs

Why it matters

Provides a consistent experience across sites
Improves discoverability of key resources
Reduces confusion for users navigating large intranets

📂 What Is Local Navigation?

Local navigation, also known as site-level navigation, applies only within a specific site. It helps users move around content that belongs to a single team, department, or project.

Common forms of local navigation include:

Quick Launch (left-hand navigation) for libraries, lists, and pages
Top navigation (site menu) for site-specific links

When to use local navigation

Local navigation is ideal for:

Team or project sites
Department-specific resources
Day-to-day working content

Why it matters

Keeps site-specific content easy to access
Reduces clutter in global navigation
Allows teams to organize content independently

⚙️ Configuring Global vs Local Navigation

Both navigation types are configured in different places and serve different purposes.

Global Navigation

Managed through hub site settings or the SharePoint app bar
Should contain links that are relevant to most employees
Typically controlled by central IT or intranet owners

Local Navigation

Managed directly within the site
Edited via Site settings or directly from the navigation menu
Maintained by site owners to reflect their content structure

Keeping ownership clear helps avoid broken or outdated links.

💡 Best Practices for Navigation Design

To create an effective navigation experience in SharePoint Online:

Use global navigation for company-wide resources
Use local navigation for site-specific content
Limit the number of top-level links to avoid overwhelming users
Apply audience targeting to show relevant links to specific groups
Test navigation with real users and refine based on feedback

Good navigation is simple, predictable, and task-oriented.

🧭 Final Thoughts

Designing global vs local navigation in SharePoint Online is about finding the right balance.

Global navigation provides consistency and quick access to organization-wide resources
Local navigation keeps team and department content easy to find

When both are used correctly, navigation becomes invisible—in the best way possible. Users spend less time searching and more time getting work done, resulting in a smoother and more productive intranet experience.

How do you configure global vs local navigation?