How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center

Let’s discuss how to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center. Some Microsoft Teams administrators have recently encountered an issue when attempting to access the Teams Admin Centre.

Instead of getting access, they see a message that says: “You don’t have access to the Teams admin center.” Along with this, the error code INVALID_PRIVILEGE appears, which means the account they used doesn’t have the required permissions to view or manage the admin settings.

This problem happens when your account isn’t set up with the right permissions. Microsoft Entra ID (earlier known as Azure AD) controls who can access what. Only people with roles like Teams Admin or Global Admin can open the Teams Admin Center. If you don’t have one of these roles, you will see the access denied message.

In this post, you will find all the details on how to fix the “Access Denied” error with code INVALID_PRIVILEGE in the Teams Admin Center. We will explain why this error happens, what roles are needed to access the admin center. If you are facing this issue, this guide will help you understand the steps needed to solve it quickly and easily.

Patch My PC
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center - Fig.1
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Fig.1

How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center

The Teams Admin Center is an online portal from Microsoft that helps IT admins manage and set up Microsoft Teams for their organization. It is a part of the larger Microsoft 365 admin tools and allows admins to control how Teams works for users in their company.

How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center - Fig.2
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Fig.2

Workaround

Let’s discuss the workaround for the issue how to Fix Access Denied Error INVALID_PRIVILEGE in Teams Admin Center. Let’s go over a few simple steps to fix the issue where you see the “Access Denied” message with the INVALID_PRIVILEGE error while trying to open the Teams Admin Center.

  • You don’t have access to the Teams admin center.
  • The account credentials you used to sign in aren’t authorized to access this website. Make sure you’re using the right account and that you have correct permissions.
  • Error code: INVALID_PRIVILEGE
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center - Fig.3
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Fig.3

Check and Assign Proper Admin Roles in Microsoft 365 or Entra Admin Center

It is important to ask the current IT administrator to log in to either the Microsoft 365 Admin Center or the Microsoft Entra Admin Center. Once signed in, they should locate the user’s account and check what roles are currently assigned.

If the user does not have either the Global Administrator or Teams Administrator role, they will not be able to access the Teams Admin Center. Assigning one of these roles will give the user necessary permissions to manage the Teams Admin Center.

Microsoft 365 Admin CenterMicrosoft Entra ID
Go to Roles → Admin roles → Assign admin rolesGo to Roles and administrators, then choose the appropriate role and add the user.
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Table 1
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center - Fig.4
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Fig.4

Use the Correct Teams Admin Center URL

It is important to make sure that you are using the correct web address to access the Teams Admin Center: https://admin.teams.microsoft.com. It is a good idea to open this link in a private browser window if you are facing login issues. This helps avoid problems caused by saved cookies or cached login sessions.

How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center - Fig.5
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Fig.5

Clear Browser Cache and Cookies or Try a Different Browser

If you are still having trouble accessing the Teams Admin Center, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies. Sometimes old data stored in the browser can cause login or access issues. After clearing, reload the page and try again. If the problem continues, open the site in a different browser to see if that helps. This simple step often resolves access errors.

  • Open Edge Browser.
  • Click the Three Dots (⋯) located in the top-right corner of the window.
  • Go to “Settings“.
  • In the left sidebar, click “Privacy, search, and services“.
  • Scroll down to the “Clear browsing data” section.
  • Click “Choose what to clear” under Clear browsing data now.
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center - Fig.6
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Fig.6

Check Internet Connection and Network Settings

Make sure your internet connection is stable and that your network or firewall settings are not blocking access to the Teams Admin Center. Sometimes, strict firewall rules or security filters can prevent admin portals from loading properly. If you’re on a company network, contact your IT team to confirm that access to Microsoft admin sites is allowed.

How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center - Fig.7
How to Fix Access Denied Error Invalid Privilege in Teams Admin Center – Fig.7

Contact Microsoft Support If You are the Only Admin and Locked Out

If you are the only administrator in your organization and you’re still unable to access the Teams Admin Center, it’s important to contact Microsoft Support for help. They can assist with verifying your identity and restoring admin access to your account or tenant.

Need Further Assistance or Have Technical Questions?

Join the LinkedIn Page and Telegram group to get the latest step-by-step guides and news updates. Join our Meetup Page to participate in User group meetings. Also, join the WhatsApp Community to get the latest news on Microsoft Technologies. We are there on Reddit as well.

Author

Anoop C Nair has been Microsoft MVP for 10 consecutive years from 2015 onwards. He is a Workplace Solution Architect with more than 22+ years of experience in Workplace technologies. He is a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group Community leader. His primary focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM and Intune. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security, Career, etc.

Leave a Comment