New-PnPSite for tenant SPO root site collection

Brass Contributor

With the enhanced look and feel of the Communication Sites (esp. Topic), we would like to be able to replace the default site collections with a communication site collection. It appears we cannot. 

 

I have deleted the main site collection for the tenant and deleted it out of the recycle bin. When I execute the command, I get a 401 Unauthorized.

 

I also tried recreating the site collection without a template. I then executed command but it erred also. Kind of expected that.

 

Will there be an option to replace the default site collection with a communication site using New-PnPSite?

 

What is the preferred method of replacing the original team site with a communication site for the main site collection root web?

 

Are we to use the Apply-SPOProvisioningTemplate?

 

Thanks!

 

2 Replies
As a general rule, don't delete your root site collection in SPO if you don't want to have problems with your users when accessing SPO. New-PnPSite is just for creating new SPO Site Collections not for replacing existing ones...what you could you is to invest some time on figuring out how to extend existing sites with new stuff

Well, Microsoft has created a Catch 22 since the default site collection is created for the tenant using the old classic team site.

 

People are seeing the beautiful Communication sites and want that for their home of their intranet. 

I have multiple clients who want the Topic site design to be their home.

 

We need options for this use case scenario instead of workarounds to klug it.

 

I will be spending time to see how I can apply the communication site as a template to the root site collection. To me this is a workaround. Excluding one the ability to use New-PnPSite to replace the default site collection appears shortsighted. There may be good reasons for it but on the surface...

 

Time and Time again, users/developers find ways of using code or technology in surprising ways that the creator did not envision. Being able to adapt to the new visions for that technology is extremely important.