Incorrect Message: The [name] channel has been deleted

Hi @Ben Taylor,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

I can understand how inconvenient it is seeing “The [name] channel has been deleted” in the desktop app while the same link works in a browser. Based on your description, this typically points to a Teams client visibility/cache issue or channel‑type membership rules rather than an actually deleted channel.

The issue occurs due to two main factors: client cache behavior in the new Teams UI and channel type rules. The new Teams desktop client can display outdated channel lists or hide channels until its local cache refreshes, opening the link in a browser or restarting the app usually resolves this, while clearing the cache is a reliable fix.

Additionally, private or shared channels have independent membership from the parent team, so converting a team to org-wide does not automatically include users in these channels. Users without explicit membership will not see the channel under “See all channels,” and older deep links may incorrectly show “deleted” banners.

Here are a few steps that often help:

1/ Open in web, then restart desktop:

As you've described: use the link in a browser and sign in, after the channel loads, quit and reopen the desktop app.

This often forces a fresh sync of the channel list.

2/ Clear the Teams desktop cache:

You can follow the instruction here: Clear the Teams client cache

3/ Check “Chats & Channels” view and hidden channels:

In the desktop app, go to Settings > Chats & Channels and switch to the Separate view, then select See all channels and Show the channel if it’s hidden.

This has been a known UI toggle/workaround across recent builds.

You can see: Channels disappeared from MS Teams view

4/ Validate channel type & membership:

• If it's standard, all team members should see it.
• If it's private/shared, add the intended members or teams directly to that channel (private/shared channels do not inherit org‑wide membership).

Reference: Standard, private, or shared channels in Microsoft Teams

5/ Deep link behavior (if you’re sharing URLs):

New Teams has had inconsistent behavior with certain deep links, if links open only in the browser or do not navigate as expected, it’s a known area under active fixes. Encourage users to click links directly (not paste into a new tab) and ensure they’re signed in.

You can see: In new teams, clicking on deep links within the MS Teams desktop app now redirects to the MS Teams browser app.

6/ If you can coordinate with your IT admin:

• Confirm that converting to org‑wide completed and that excluded account types (guests, resource accounts, etc.) are not expected to appear.
• Ensure channel policies do not restrict private/shared channel discovery or membership in ways that conflict with your intent.

Reference:

• Use organization-wide teams in Microsoft Teams to help everyone collaborate
• Manage channel policies in Microsoft Teams

7/ If your channel was actually deleted and you're the Team owner:

• Go to Teams > choose the affected Team > More options (...) > Manage team
  
• In the management page, open Channels tab and expand the Deleted list > Click the Restore button.
  

8/ Submit support ticket:

If you've tried all the above steps and the issue still persists, I recommend asking your IT admin to open a support ticket directly to Microsoft.

You can create a support ticket by sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center following steps from this link: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn to raise a support ticket from admin center or calling the phone support to contact Microsoft Support: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support.

If you are not an admin, you can contact your admin to contact Microsoft support. You can look for the way to find your admin through this link: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support.

We appreciate your understanding regarding the scope of support available through this forum. As forum moderators, our role is to provide general guidance and assist with common troubleshooting steps. While we do not have access to internal systems or administrative tools required to resolve account-specific or backend-related issues but we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.

I hope the information provided proves useful. Please proceed with the outlined steps and let me know whether they resolve the issue. If not, I’ll be glad to continue working with you to find a solution.

Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out at any time.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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