How to add another email account in Outlook Office 365

Open Outlook and go to File > Add Account. Enter the email address you want to add, then your password. Outlook will usually detect your email provider and set up the account automatically. If it doesn't, you may need to enter server details manually — your email provider's support page will have these.

The process takes a few minutes. Once added, both accounts appear in your folder list on the left side of Outlook, and you can switch between them or send from either one.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add multiple email accounts to a single Outlook window without switching between them.
  • Outlook usually auto-detects your email provider's settings, so you only need your email address and password.
  • If auto-detection fails, you will need your email provider's incoming and outgoing server addresses, which they publish on their support site.
  • Each account keeps its own folder structure, but you can send from any account using the From dropdown when composing.

When Outlook auto-detects your settings

Most email providers — Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com, corporate Exchange servers — work with Outlook's auto-detection. After you enter your email and password at the Add Account screen, Outlook contacts your provider's servers to pull the correct settings automatically.

This usually completes in under a minute. You will see a confirmation message, and the account appears in your folder list immediately. No manual configuration needed.

When you need to enter settings manually

Some email providers, particularly smaller business hosts or older systems, do not respond to Outlook's auto-detection. If Outlook shows an error after you enter your password, you will need to provide the server details yourself.

Go to your email provider's website and search for "IMAP settings" or "SMTP settings" (these are the two types of servers Outlook needs). You will find four pieces of information: the incoming mail server address, the incoming port number, the outgoing mail server address, and the outgoing port number. Your provider will also tell you whether to use encryption (usually TLS or SSL).

In Outlook, choose File > Add Account > Advanced Options > Let me set up my account manually. Enter your email address, select IMAP as the account type, then fill in the server addresses and port numbers exactly as your provider lists them. Outlook will test the connection before saving.

Sending email from a specific account

When you have multiple accounts in Outlook, you can send from either one. Open a new message and look for the From field near the top. Click it to see a dropdown list of your accounts, then select which one to send from.

If you do not see the From field, go to Options in the message window and check From. Outlook will then show it by default on all new messages.

Organizing mail from multiple accounts

Each account has its own folder structure in the left sidebar — separate Inboxes, Sent Items, and Drafts for each one. This keeps your mail organized by account automatically.

If you want to see all incoming mail from both accounts in one place, you can create a search folder. Go to Folder > New Search Folder and choose Mail from Specific People or Unread Mail. This creates a virtual folder that pulls messages from both accounts without moving them.

Fixing connection problems with added accounts

If Outlook stops syncing one of your accounts, the most common cause is an expired password. Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select the account that is not working, and click Change. Re-enter your current password and save.

If you use two-factor authentication on your email account, you may need an app-specific password instead of your regular one. Gmail, Microsoft, and Yahoo all offer these — search your provider's help for "app password" and use that instead of your login password in Outlook.

Removing an account you no longer need

Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select the account you want to remove, and click Delete. Outlook will ask whether to keep a copy of the mail on your computer or delete it. Choose based on whether you want to keep those messages for reference.

Removing an account from Outlook does not delete it from your email provider — it only stops Outlook from checking it. You can add it back later if you need to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set one account as my default so Outlook always sends from it?

Yes. Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select the account you want as default, and click Set as Default. Outlook will then use that account's From field on all new messages unless you manually change it.

What if I forget which server settings I used for an account?

Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select the account, and click Change. Outlook shows your current settings. Write them down or take a screenshot before closing.

Can I add the same email account twice in Outlook?

Outlook will not let you add the exact same email address twice. If you need to access one account with different settings, contact your email provider about creating an alias or forwarding address instead.

Does adding an account in Outlook sync it across my other devices?

No. Each device running Outlook needs the account added separately. Your phone, tablet, and other computers will not automatically see accounts you add to your desktop Outlook.