Add shared mailbox outlook

Who this is for: anyone who needs access to a mailbox like info@ or billing@ in addition to their own.

The short answer

Once an admin has given you permission, a shared mailbox usually appears in Outlook on its own within about an hour. If it doesn't, add it manually using the steps for your platform below. Do not add it as a separate account with a password — shared mailboxes don't have one.

First, know which one you have

• Shared mailbox — a mailbox with no license and no password, like info@yourcompany.com. Several people open it through their own accounts. This is what most small offices use.
• Delegated access — permission to open a specific coworker's real mailbox, usually an assistant covering for a manager.
• Second account — a genuinely separate licensed account with its own password. Rare, and usually a sign something was set up the hard way.

The steps below cover the first two, which behave the same in Outlook.

Outlook on the web

1. Right-click Folders in the left sidebar.
2. Choose Add shared folder or mailbox.
3. Type the mailbox address and select it.

It appears as its own collapsible section at the bottom of the folder list.

Outlook for Windows (new Outlook)

1. Right-click your name at the top of the folder list.
2. Choose Add shared folder or mailbox.
3. Enter the address and select it.

Outlook for Windows (classic)

1. File → Account Settings → Account Settings.
2. Select your account, click Change, then More Settings.
3. On the Advanced tab, click Add and type the mailbox name.
4. Click OK, Next, Finish, then restart Outlook.

Outlook for Mac

1. Tools → Accounts.
2. Select your account, then Delegation and Sharing.
3. Open the Shared With Me tab and click +.
4. Type the mailbox address, select it, and click Add.

Sending as the shared mailbox

Start a new message, click Options → From (or the From button if it's already showing), and choose Other email address to enter the shared address the first time. After that it stays in the dropdown.

Send As makes the message appear to come from the shared mailbox alone. Send on Behalf shows "You on behalf of Info." These are two different permissions — if the wrong one shows up, ask us to change it rather than working around it.

Common problems

• You're asked for a password. You're adding it as an account instead of a shared mailbox. Back out and use the steps above.
• Sent messages don't appear in the shared Sent Items. That's a tenant setting an admin can flip; it's off by default in some configurations.
• It shows up but the folders are empty. Give it 15 minutes to sync, then restart Outlook.
• Nothing happens on a phone. The Outlook mobile app supports shared mailboxes; Apple Mail does not. Use Outlook mobile.