Adding a shared mailbox in Outlook takes three steps: get the mailbox address from whoever set it up, open Outlook settings, and add it as an account

A shared mailbox is an email account that multiple people can access and send from — useful for team inboxes, support addresses, or department accounts. To add one to Outlook on your computer or web browser, you need the mailbox address and permission from whoever manages it. The process differs slightly between Outlook desktop and Outlook on the web, but both take fewer than five minutes.

Before you start, confirm that your administrator has given you permission to access the shared mailbox. You will also need the full email address of the shared mailbox itself. If you are unsure whether you have access, ask your IT department or manager before attempting to add it.

Key Takeaways

  • You need the shared mailbox email address and permission from your administrator before you can add it to Outlook.
  • In Outlook desktop, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, then click New and select Exchange or Office 365 to add the mailbox.
  • In Outlook on the web, select Settings > Mail > Accounts > Shared Mailboxes and paste the email address there.
  • After adding the shared mailbox, it appears as a separate folder in your mailbox list, and you can send emails from it by selecting it in the From field.
  • If the mailbox does not appear after adding it, restart Outlook or wait a few minutes for the change to sync across your devices.

Adding a shared mailbox in Outlook desktop

Open Outlook on your computer and go to File in the top menu. Click Account Settings, then select Account Settings again from the dropdown menu. A window will open showing your current email accounts.

Click the New button near the top of the window. Outlook will ask you to enter your email address. Type the shared mailbox email address here, not your own email. Click Next, and Outlook will attempt to configure the account automatically using your existing credentials.

If Outlook connects successfully, the mailbox will appear in your folder list on the left side of the screen. You may need to restart Outlook for it to show up. Once it is there, you can click on it to view its contents, and you can send emails from it by clicking the From button when composing a message and selecting the shared mailbox address.

Adding a shared mailbox in Outlook on the web

Go to Outlook.com or your organization's Outlook web portal and sign in with your account. Click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner and select View all Outlook settings.

Navigate to Mail > Accounts > Shared Mailboxes. You will see a text field labeled "Add a shared mailbox." Paste the email address of the shared mailbox you want to add and click Add. Outlook will verify that you have permission to access it.

Once added, the shared mailbox will appear in your folder list on the left. You can switch to it by clicking its name, and you can send from it the same way as in the desktop version — by selecting it from the From dropdown when you compose a message.

What to do if the shared mailbox does not appear

If you added the mailbox but it is not showing up in your folder list, the most common cause is that the change has not synced yet. Wait a few minutes and refresh your browser or restart Outlook on your desktop. Changes can take up to 30 minutes to appear across all your devices.

If it still does not appear after waiting, double-check that you entered the email address correctly and that your administrator confirmed you have permission. Ask your IT department to verify that the mailbox is configured to allow your account access. Sometimes permissions are set up but not activated immediately.

In Outlook desktop, you can also try removing and re-adding the account. Go back to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select the shared mailbox, click Remove, and then add it again using the New button.

Sending emails from a shared mailbox

Once the shared mailbox is added, you can send emails from it just like your own account. When you compose a new message, look for the From field at the top. Click on it to see a dropdown list of all your email addresses, including the shared mailbox. Select the shared mailbox address to send the email from that account instead of your own.

Recipients will see the shared mailbox address in the From line, not your personal email. This is useful for team communication because it keeps the conversation tied to the shared account rather than to one person. If you forget to change the From field, the email will send from your personal account instead.

Managing multiple shared mailboxes

If you need to access more than one shared mailbox, you can add each one separately using the same process. Each will appear as its own folder in your mailbox list, and you can switch between them by clicking on each one. You can also have multiple shared mailboxes open in separate windows if you need to work with them side by side.

Keep in mind that adding a shared mailbox uses storage space on your computer if you are using Outlook desktop. If you have many shared mailboxes or a slow internet connection, you may want to use Outlook on the web instead, which does not require downloading messages to your device.

Removing a shared mailbox from Outlook

If you no longer need access to a shared mailbox, you can remove it from Outlook. In Outlook desktop, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select the shared mailbox, and click Remove. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Shared Mailboxes, find the mailbox you want to remove, and click the trash icon next to it.

Removing the mailbox from Outlook does not delete the mailbox itself or affect other people's access to it. It only removes it from your own Outlook account. If you need to add it back later, you can follow the same steps as before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send emails from a shared mailbox if I do not have a password for it?

Yes. Shared mailboxes do not require a separate password. Outlook uses your own account credentials to access the shared mailbox, so as long as your administrator has given you permission, you can send and receive from it without knowing any additional passwords.

Will emails I send from a shared mailbox appear in my Sent folder?

Emails sent from a shared mailbox appear in the Sent folder of that shared mailbox, not in your personal Sent folder. This keeps all communication tied to the shared account. You can view them by opening the shared mailbox and looking at its Sent folder.

What if I do not see the From dropdown when composing a message?

In Outlook on the web, you may need to click the three dots (more options) button to reveal the From field. In Outlook desktop, the From field should always be visible at the top of the compose window. If it is not, try clicking in the area where it should be or check that you have added the shared mailbox successfully.

Can I set a shared mailbox as my default sending address?

In Outlook desktop, you can set a default sending address by going to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, selecting your account, clicking Change, and then choosing which address to use by default. In Outlook on the web, there is no default setting, so you will need to select the From address each time you send a message.

Do I need to add the shared mailbox on every device I use?

If you use Outlook on the web, the shared mailbox will appear on any device where you sign in to your account — you only add it once. If you use Outlook desktop on multiple computers, you will need to add the shared mailbox on each computer separately.