How to Add a Shared Mailbox to Outlook on Any Device

To add a shared mailbox to Outlook, first ask your Microsoft 365 or Exchange administrator to grant your account access, then add the mailbox in Outlook or wait for it to appear automatically. In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, right-click Folders and choose Add shared folder or mailbox; the exact steps differ in classic Outlook, Mac, and mobile.

What a shared mailbox is and how access works

A shared mailbox is an email address that multiple authorized people can use, such as support@contoso.com or invoices@contoso.com. Its messages and folders are stored in one mailbox, so team members can read and organize the same correspondence rather than forwarding messages among separate accounts. It can also have a shared calendar, depending on how it is configured.

A shared mailbox is not the same as a Microsoft 365 group, a distribution list, or a folder someone has shared from a personal mailbox. A distribution list sends messages to its members; it does not provide a common inbox. A Microsoft 365 group has its own collaboration features and is managed differently. If you are unsure which one your organization created, ask the person who gave you the address.

Most importantly, adding a mailbox in Outlook does not give you permission to open it. An administrator or mailbox owner must grant access first. Outlook may show an error, or fail to find messages, if you try to add an address before the permission has been applied. The mailbox generally uses the access of your own work or school account; it is not intended to be opened by signing in with a separate shared-mailbox password.

Check permissions before adding the mailbox

Ask your administrator to confirm that your individual account has the permission you need. Common permissions include:

Full Access: lets you open the mailbox and read, create, move, or delete its items. By itself, it does not necessarily let you send messages as that address.
Send As: lets you send email that appears to come directly from the shared address.
Send on Behalf: lets you send a message that identifies you as sending on behalf of the mailbox.

These permissions are separate, so describe your task clearly when requesting access. For example, someone who only needs to review incoming support requests may need Full Access, while someone replying to customers may also need Send As or Send on Behalf. Permission changes can take time to reach Outlook; if access was just granted, allow a little time and restart the app before repeatedly trying to add the mailbox.

Add a shared mailbox in new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web

These steps apply to the current new Outlook experience and are similar in Outlook on the web. Sign in with the work or school account that has been given access. If your organization has changed the layout, look for the same shared-folder command in the folder pane or account settings.

Open the Mail view and locate Folders in the navigation pane.
Right-click Folders, then select Add shared folder or mailbox. In some layouts, you may need to right-click your account name or use the option labelled Add shared folder.
Enter the shared mailbox’s email address. Select the matching result if Outlook offers one, then choose Add.
Look for the mailbox in the folder list. Expand it to see its Inbox and other folders.

If Outlook does not offer the address as a match, check its spelling and confirm with your administrator that your account has access. You may also be able to add it through Settings > Accounts > Shared with me, then choose the option to add a mailbox. The available settings can vary as Microsoft updates the new Outlook interface. In Outlook on the web, the folder-pane method is usually the simplest.

Adding the mailbox this way makes it available in your folder list; it does not change your own primary email account. If the mailbox does not appear immediately, refresh the page or close and reopen Outlook after access has been granted.

Add a shared mailbox in classic Outlook for Windows

Classic Outlook is the desktop version with the traditional ribbon and a File tab. If your administrator granted Full Access, Exchange may add the mailbox to your profile automatically. Close and reopen Outlook, then look below your own mailbox in the folder pane. Automatic mapping can take time, and it may not occur in every configuration.

If it has not appeared and your administrator has confirmed Full Access, you can try adding it to your account settings:

Select File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
On the Email tab, select your Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 account and choose Change.
Select More Settings, then open the Advanced tab.
Under Open these additional mailboxes, choose Add, enter the shared mailbox address, and confirm the dialogs.
Close and restart Outlook, then check the folder pane.

If you do not see these controls, you may be using new Outlook rather than classic Outlook, or your account may be configured differently. Do not remove your work account or create a separate sign-in just to make the mailbox appear; ask your administrator for the supported setup for your organization.

Use Outlook for Mac or the mobile app

In Outlook for Mac, first make sure the work or school Exchange account that has permission is already set up. In many current versions, open Outlook > Settings > Accounts, select your Exchange account, and open Delegation and Sharing. Under Shared With Me, use the plus button to add the mailbox address. Depending on the version, the settings window may be labelled Preferences instead of Settings. Restart Outlook if the mailbox does not show in the folder list.

In Outlook for iOS or Android, open the app and tap your profile picture or account icon. Choose the add-account control, then select Add a Shared Mailbox if it is offered. Select the account that has permission and enter the shared mailbox address. The precise labels can differ between app versions. If the option is missing, update Outlook and check that the mailbox is an Exchange shared mailbox and that the signed-in account has access. Adding a mailbox on a phone does not grant permission or change access on other people’s accounts.

Choose the right sending address

When composing a message, Outlook may initially put your personal address in the From field. To send from the shared address, create a message and show or select the From field if it is not visible. Choose the shared mailbox address from the list, or enter it and select it when prompted. If you cannot see the field, check the message’s options for a control to show it; the location varies between Outlook versions.

If the message sends successfully, check the From line before sending the next reply, because Outlook may retain a previously selected sender in that compose window or conversation. If you receive a permission error, ask the administrator whether you have Send As or Send on Behalf. Full Access alone is not proof that you have either sending permission. In some organizations, messages sent from the shared mailbox are saved in the sender’s Sent Items by default rather than the shared mailbox’s Sent Items. An administrator can configure where sent copies are stored.

Fix common setup problems

When a shared mailbox is missing or inaccessible, identify whether the problem is permission, discovery, or sending. These checks resolve many routine issues:

The mailbox is not listed: confirm that the address is correct and that your own account—not just a colleague’s—has Full Access. Restart Outlook, refresh Outlook on the web, or try the manual add steps for your version.
Outlook says it cannot find the mailbox: ask the administrator to verify that the mailbox exists, is enabled, and that the permission was applied to your account. If the change was recent, wait for it to take effect before trying again.
You can read mail but cannot send from the address: request Send As or Send on Behalf, as appropriate. This is a different permission from opening the mailbox.
You can send but the reply comes from your own address: check the message’s From field before sending and choose the shared address. Confirm that Outlook has the correct sending permission.
Only some folders appear, or Outlook keeps asking for a password: verify that you are using your organization account and the intended shared mailbox. Do not enter a password supplied for the mailbox unless your administrator has explicitly explained a supported, different configuration.

If the issue continues, tell your help desk which Outlook version and device you use, the shared mailbox address, what permission you were given, and the exact error text. Avoid sending screenshots that expose customer messages or other confidential mailbox content unless your organization’s support process permits it.

Administration, licensing, and safe use

An administrator typically creates and manages a shared mailbox in the Microsoft 365 admin center or Exchange admin center, then assigns members and mailbox permissions. The names and locations of controls can change, but the key task is to grant each person the required access. Adding a person as a member and giving a specific sending permission may be handled in separate settings, so the administrator should confirm both when sending is part of the job.

Many Microsoft 365 plans allow a shared mailbox without a separate license up to a 50 GB mailbox size, but licensing rules depend on the plan and features in use. A license may be required for a larger mailbox or features such as an archive or certain compliance capabilities. People accessing it generally need their own licensed Exchange account. Because plan terms and feature requirements can change, have your Microsoft 365 administrator check the current licensing terms rather than purchasing a license based only on the mailbox label.

Shared access is useful for continuity, but it also means multiple people can view and sometimes change the same messages. Give access only to people who need it, remove access when someone changes roles, and follow your organization’s retention and data-handling rules. For accountability, teams can agree on conventions such as categories, folders, or assigning an owner to each request. Avoid moving or deleting messages unless the team’s process permits it, since that action may affect everyone using the mailbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I add a shared mailbox to Outlook?
Most often, your account has not been granted Full Access, the permission has not taken effect yet, or the address is incorrect. Ask the administrator to verify access for your account, then restart or refresh Outlook and use the steps for your version.

Does a shared mailbox have its own password?
Normally, users access it through their own authorized Microsoft 365 or Exchange accounts; they do not sign in directly as the shared mailbox. Do not try to use a separate mailbox password unless your organization has specifically directed you to a different supported arrangement.

Can I add a shared mailbox without administrator help?
You can add it yourself only after the required access has been granted. Adding an address in Outlook is not a way to bypass permissions. If you own or administer the mailbox, use your organization’s admin tools to assign access first.

What is the difference between Full Access and Send As?
Full Access lets you open and manage mailbox contents. Send As lets you send a message that appears to come from the shared address. They are separate permissions, and a person who needs both must be granted both.

How do I remove a shared mailbox from Outlook?
If you added it manually, remove it using the same account, delegation, or shared-mailbox settings where you added it; the exact control depends on Outlook version. If it was added automatically through administrator permissions, ask the administrator to remove your access. Removing it from your view does not necessarily delete the mailbox or revoke anyone else’s access.

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