How to Add a Shared Mailbox in Outlook PWA: A Guide

To add a shared mailbox in Outlook PWA, open the folder list, right-click Folders, choose Add shared folder or mailbox, enter the mailbox address, and select Add. You need to be signed in with your work or school account and have permission to access the mailbox; an administrator may need to grant that permission first.

What You’ll Need

Your organization’s Microsoft 365 account. Sign in to the account that should use the shared mailbox. Outlook PWA uses the same organizational account as Outlook on the web.
The mailbox’s email address. An exact address is easiest to identify, especially if your organization has mailboxes with similar names.
Access permission. Ask your Microsoft 365 or Exchange administrator to grant you access, typically Full Access. If you also need to send messages from the shared address, ask whether you need Send As or Send on behalf permission. These are separate permissions.
A browser with Outlook PWA available. You can use Outlook in a browser or launch the installed Progressive Web App. The mailbox steps are essentially the same in both.

Step-by-Step

Open Outlook using the right account. Launch the Outlook PWA from your browser or desktop shortcut, or go to your organization’s Outlook on the web page and sign in. If you have more than one work or school account, check the profile icon to confirm you are in the organization that owns the shared mailbox. A mailbox belonging to a different Microsoft 365 organization may not appear under the account you currently use.
Open the Mail folder pane. In Outlook, select the Mail view if you are in another view. The folder list is usually on the left side of the window. If it is collapsed, use the navigation menu or the folder-pane expand control near the upper-left corner to show it. You need the folder list rather than the calendar or contacts list for the next step.
Open the shared-mailbox command. In the folder pane, right-click Folders. On a touch device, use the equivalent press-and-hold action if available. Select Add shared folder or mailbox from the menu. Depending on your Outlook layout, you may need to right-click the folder-list heading or your account’s folder area. Do not choose a command for adding a personal email account; a shared mailbox is attached to your organization account.
Enter the mailbox address. In the box that opens, type the shared mailbox’s full email address. If Outlook displays matching names, select the correct mailbox from the results. Verify the address or display name before proceeding, particularly when several departments have similar mailbox names. Select Add to attach it to your folder list.
Find and expand the mailbox. Look in the folder pane for the mailbox name. It may appear beneath your own mailbox or inside a section such as Shared with me, depending on the Outlook version and layout. Select the arrow beside its name to expand it. Choose Inbox to open its messages; expand other folders, such as Sent Items or Drafts, if you need them.
Check that you can read messages. Open a message in the shared Inbox and confirm that the sender, recipient, and message content display. If the mailbox appears but its folders do not load, wait briefly and refresh Outlook. If it still will not open, do not keep adding the same mailbox repeatedly; check your permissions and use the troubleshooting section below.
Choose the shared address when sending, if authorized. Select New mail to compose a message. If the From field is hidden, show it from the message-composition options, then select the shared address. If it is not listed, choose the option to enter another email address and type the shared address. Send a brief test only if appropriate for your workplace. Being able to read the mailbox does not automatically give you permission to send from it.
Keep the mailbox in the folder list for future use. Once added, the mailbox should remain available when you return to Outlook PWA with the same account. If the left pane is narrow, expand it or pin the folder pane open so you can see the shared mailbox. If you need a separate full-window view instead, use the alternative method below.

Alternative: open a separate mailbox view. In some Outlook on the web layouts, select your profile or account name in the upper-right corner, choose Open another mailbox, enter the mailbox address, and select Open. Outlook opens that mailbox in a separate tab or window. This can be useful for a quick visit, but it is different from adding the mailbox to your folder pane. If you cannot find this command, use the folder-pane method above; available options can vary by account and interface.

Common Mistakes

Trying to sign in as the shared mailbox. A shared mailbox generally does not use a separate password for each person. Sign in with your own organizational account, then open the mailbox through that account. Do not request or use a shared password unless your organization specifically directs you to do so.
Assuming that mailbox access includes sending permission. Full Access lets you open and manage mailbox contents, but sending as the mailbox usually requires a separate Send As or Send on behalf permission. Ask an administrator for the specific permission that matches how messages should appear to recipients.
Adding the display name instead of confirming the address. A search can return several similar results. Selecting a team with a similar name can lead to missing messages or sending from the wrong address. Confirm the full email address with the mailbox owner or administrator.
Expecting an immediate change after access is granted. Permission updates can take time to become available across Microsoft 365. Repeatedly adding the mailbox will not speed up that process. Allow time, then sign out and back in or refresh before trying again.
Looking only in the Inbox. The mailbox may be added but collapsed, or listed under a shared section. Expand the mailbox name in the folder pane before concluding that it did not appear.

Tips

Ask for the right permissions at the start. Explain whether you only need to read and organize messages, reply from the shared address, or send messages that show the shared mailbox as the sender. The administrator can grant the appropriate access rather than troubleshooting a missing send option later.
Use a clear test message when checking send access. If your organization permits it, send a short message to yourself or a colleague who expects it. Confirm the From address in the received message. A message that appears to come from your personal address may indicate that the shared address was not selected or that Send As permission is missing.
Keep shared work in the shared mailbox. When replying, verify the From field before sending and check that the reply is saved in the intended mailbox. This helps colleagues follow the conversation and reduces the chance that a customer response is sent from an individual account.
Use the installed PWA only as a shortcut, not a separate mailbox setup. Installing Outlook as a PWA opens the web version in its own app-like window. Adding a shared mailbox does not require reinstalling Outlook, and the same work account and mailbox permissions apply.
Remove access through the right channel. If you no longer need the mailbox, you can remove its entry from your Outlook view if that option is available. That only changes what is displayed for you; it does not revoke your organization’s permission. Ask the administrator to remove access when it should end.

Troubleshooting

The add command is missing. Make sure you are in Mail and can see the folder pane. Expand the pane if it is collapsed, then right-click the Folders heading or the relevant folder-list area. If you are using a narrow window or touch screen, the context menu may be harder to access. Try Outlook on the web in a full browser window and look for the same command. Your organization may also have a customized interface or policy; contact IT if the option is unavailable in both places.

Outlook says the mailbox cannot be found, or no result appears. Check the spelling and domain of the full email address, and ask the mailbox owner or administrator to confirm it is a shared mailbox in your organization. Then confirm that your own account has been granted access. If an administrator has just assigned permission, wait for it to propagate, refresh Outlook, and try again. If the address belongs to another organization, ask IT how external or cross-tenant access is handled instead of repeatedly adding it.

The mailbox was added but does not open, or folders are empty. Expand the mailbox in the folder list and try again after refreshing the page. Confirm with the administrator that Full Access was granted to the exact account you are signed into. If access was recently changed, sign out of Outlook, close the browser or PWA window, sign back in, and retry after allowing time for the update. If the problem continues, provide IT with the mailbox address, your sign-in account, and the exact error message.

You can read messages but cannot send from the shared address. This usually means that sending permission has not been granted, the From field is not set to the shared address, or Outlook is using your personal address. Ask the administrator to confirm whether Send As or Send on behalf permission is appropriate and has been assigned. Then start a new message, display the From field, and select the shared address. If the permission was just added, wait for it to take effect and try again.

The mailbox appears in a different place than expected. Outlook layouts vary. Check beneath your account name and in any Shared with me section, then expand the relevant heading. You can also use the folder-pane search, if available, to locate its name. If you used Open another mailbox, look for the separate browser tab rather than expecting a new entry in your current folder list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a separate password for a shared mailbox?
No. In the usual Microsoft 365 setup, you sign in with your own work or school account and open the mailbox using assigned permissions. Ask your administrator if your organization has a special setup.

Can I add a shared mailbox if I do not have permission yet?
You can enter its address, but Outlook cannot give you access by itself. The mailbox owner or an administrator must grant the appropriate permissions. Contact them before troubleshooting the Outlook interface.

Why can I see the mailbox but not send from it?
Reading access and sending permission are separate. Ask whether you need Send As or Send on behalf access, then make sure the shared address is selected in the message’s From field.

Will adding it in the PWA also add it in desktop Outlook?
Not necessarily. The PWA and desktop Outlook have different mailbox display behavior, and adding it to one view does not guarantee it will appear in the other. You may need to add it separately in desktop Outlook, depending on your account setup.

Can I open the mailbox without adding it to the folder pane?
Often, yes. Use Open another mailbox from the profile or account menu if that option is available. Outlook opens a separate view, while Add shared folder or mailbox places the mailbox in your folder pane for ongoing access.

How do I remove a shared mailbox from Outlook PWA?
Use the mailbox’s context menu in the folder pane and select the available remove option, if shown. Removing the entry from your view does not cancel your organization’s access grant; ask IT to revoke the permission if it should no longer be available.

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