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If you have access to a shared mailbox from your organization, you’ll need to add it to your Outlook client. Find out how to do so on macOS, Windows 11, and the web.
What Is a Shared Mailbox, and Why Is It Useful?
A shared mailbox,similar to a shared inbox, is simply an email address that can be accessed by authorized users from their Outlook client on the desktop and web. When a person replies to a message sent to the shared mailbox, it appears to be from the shared address, not from an individual user.
You may want to use a shared mailbox for several reasons. First, it can be used as a centralized inbox, where all emails to a specific address come to a single mailbox. If an organization has different departments, such as HR, Support, Finance, and IT, each can use its own shared mailbox.
you’re able to temporarily convert a regular mailbox to a shared mailbox to save on licensing costs. You can also use one as a no-reply email account or ashared team calendar appon the classic Outlook client.
However, there are some limitations. By default, every shared mailbox gets 50GB of storage. If you exceed the limit, an additional license is required to allocate more storage. While a shared mailbox can have up to 25 users at a time, it may struggle if too many users are accessing it at once.
How to Add a Shared Mailbox to Outlook on Windows
Before you may add a shared mailbox to Outlook, the Office 365 admin must grant the necessary permission to your account. Once they’ve done so, the shared mailbox will appear in your account the next time you start Outlook.
If it doesn’t, you can add it manually:
If you don’t see the shared mailbox immediately, click to expand theShared with mefolder to reveal it. This is the default view in the new Outlook client. Unfortunately, there’s no way to remove it from the shared with me folder and make it look like its own account, as is the case with the classic Outlook client.
To send emails on behalf of, or as, the shared mailbox, clickNew mail. Then click theFromdrop-down and select the shared mailbox address. Compose your email and clickSend.
Add a Shared Mailbox to Outlook Classic
If you are using the classic Outlook client, you’re able to add a shared mailbox to it by following these steps:
If the Add option is grayed out, you probably havemultiple Exchange accounts set up in the same Outlook profile. To fix this, create a new profile and only add the account associated with the shared mailbox. Once done, the Add option should be available.
To create a new Outlook profile:
With the new profile ready, repeat the steps to add a shared mailbox. To switch your Outlook profile, go toFile > Account Settings > Change Profile, then clickOKto close Outlook. Restart Outlook, then choose your preferred profile and clickOK.
How to Add a Shared Mailbox to Outlook on macOS
Adding a shared mailbox to your macOS Outlook client is a straightforward process. Here’s how to do it:
The new shared mailbox will appear as a separate account under your existing Outlook account.
Add Shared Mailbox to Legacy Outlook for Mac
Adding a Shared Mailbox to the legacy Outlook for Mac is a bit different. Here’s how to do it:
How to Add a Shared Mailbox to Outlook on the Web
If you use Microsoft Outlook Online, follow these steps to add a shared mailbox:
