Modern Site Left Navigation

Question

I have several sites and editing the site navigation on some are correctly in modern look ‌‌. The 'modern' modern sites simply stay on the main page when editing the site navigation and are in the modern look as shown in "Good.png" below.

HOWEVER, other slightly 'older' modern sites (example one created 1/16/19) behave in old classic mode and take you to the old https://.../sites/.../_layouts/15/AreaNavigationSettings.aspx for site navigation as shown in "Bad.png" below. 

Before anyone askes, 'Yes, all sites are in modern mode. There's no classic mode implemented ANYWHERE'

So, why are these different and why are the older site's navigation method not being updated?? It's been 3 years, it is SharePoint Online after-all and there's nothing I can do or have done to make these differences. Is it Microsoft hasn't updated the navigation yet? I'm not going to create a new site and move everything over as MSFT don't have any tools to perform this function. 

Good.png

Bad.png

Thanks

Answer 1

Hi @Carl Williams ,

How is this a modern site by having classic site navigation in classic mode?

Yes, this is still a modern site.

Why are these different and why are the older site's navigation method not being updated?

This is because you have enabled the Publishing feature on this site. If you don't want to show the classic site navigation, you can disable the Publishing feature. Please follow the steps:

1.Here is a classic site navigation

2.Go to this SharePoint site as a site admin

3.Click Site information >> View all site settings

3.On the Site Settings page, click the Manage site features

4.Find the "SharePoint Server Publishing" feature and click Deactivate >> Deactivate this feature to turn off this feature.

5.Go back to the Site Settings page, click Site collection features

6.Find the "SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure" feature and click Deactivate >> Deactivate this feature to turn off this feature.

7.Now, it becomes modern site navigation

Thanks,
Echo Du

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Answer 2

Thanks Echo Du, that was it, I very much appreciate your taking time to answer this seemingly simple question. At least you know what you're talking about.

I asked in M365 Support and all I got were crickets. I don't think that department can understand/comprehend questions or even support their own weight for that matter. It's as useless as the SharePoint Forums where all the "know-it-alls" visit. My question had 70 views, no hits or answers. I guess my question wouldn't have garnered enough "Kudos" for the poor babies.

Too bad MSFT doesn't understand their own tech. Pathetic they are.

So THANK YOU for fixing my issue!!!!