How to Create an Email Group in Outlook

What an Outlook email group does

An email group in Outlook lets you send one message to multiple people at once by typing a single group name instead of individual addresses. When you create a group, you pick a name, add the contacts you want in it, and then use that name in the "To" field just like you would a person's address. Outlook handles sending your message to everyone in the group automatically.

This saves time if you regularly email the same set of people — a project team, a book club, your extended family, or a department. You create the group once, and it stays in your contacts for future use.

Key Takeaways

• Email groups in Outlook are called "distribution lists" on the web version and "groups" on the desktop app, but they work the same way.
• You can add existing contacts to a group, or type in email addresses directly when you create it.
• Groups you create are stored in your own mailbox and only you can send messages to them — they are not shared with other people unless you send them the group separately.
• The steps differ slightly between Outlook on the web, Outlook desktop for Windows, and Outlook for Mac, but the end result is identical.

Creating a group in Outlook on the web

Open Outlook in your web browser and sign in. In the left sidebar, find "Contacts" and click it. At the top of the contacts list, you will see a button labeled "New contact group" or a plus icon next to "Contacts" — click that.

A form will open. Type a name for your group in the "Group name" field. This is what you will type in the "To" line when you send an email, so use something clear like "Marketing Team" or "Book Club 2024". Below that, you will see a field to add members. Click "Add members" and you can either search for contacts you have already saved, or type in email addresses directly. Add each person you want in the group.

Once you have added everyone, click "Create" at the bottom. Your group is now saved. The next time you start a new email and click in the "To" field, you can type the group name and it will appear as an option.

Creating a group in Outlook desktop for Windows

Open Outlook on your computer. Go to the "Home" tab at the top. In the ribbon, find the "New Items" button and click the dropdown arrow next to it. Select "More Items" and then "Contact Group".

A window will open with a field labeled "Name". Type your group name here. Below that, click "Add Members" and choose "From Outlook Contacts" to add people you have already saved, or "New Email Contact" to type in an address directly. Add each person one at a time by clicking "Add Members" again for each new person.

When you are done adding members, click "Save & Close". Your group is now in your contacts. To use it, start a new email, click in the "To" field, and type the group name — it will appear in the dropdown list.

Creating a group in Outlook for Mac

Open Outlook on your Mac. Click "File" in the menu bar at the top, then select "New" and "Contact Group". A window will open with a field labeled "Name". Type your group name.

Click the plus icon at the bottom of the window to add members. A dialog will appear where you can search for existing contacts or type in email addresses. Select or type each person you want to add. When you are finished, click "Save". Your group is now ready to use in the "To" field of any new email.

Adding or removing people from a group later

You can change who is in a group at any time. In Outlook on the web, go to Contacts, find the group name, and click it. Click "Edit" and you will see all the members listed. You can add new people by clicking "Add members" again, or remove someone by clicking the X next to their name. Click "Save" when you are done.

In Outlook desktop for Windows, right-click the group name in your contacts and select "Edit Contact Group". Add or remove members the same way, then click "Save & Close". On Mac, double-click the group name, make your changes, and click "Save".

What happens when you send to a group

When you type a group name in the "To" field and send an email, Outlook sends your message to every address in that group. The recipients see the email as coming from you, not from the group itself. They do not automatically see who else received the message — each person gets their own copy addressed to them.

If someone replies to your email, their reply goes only to you, not to the whole group. If you want everyone to see replies, you would need to use a different tool like a shared mailbox or Microsoft Teams, which are designed for group conversations.

Groups stay private to your account

A group you create is stored only in your Outlook account. Other people cannot see it or send messages to it unless you share the group name with them. If you want a colleague to use the same group, you would need to tell them the group name and the addresses in it, and they would create their own matching group on their account.

If your organization uses Microsoft 365, your IT department may have created shared groups or distribution lists that work across the whole company. Those are different from personal groups and are managed by your IT team. Personal groups like the ones you create here are just for your own use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a group with a name that already exists in my contacts?

No. Outlook will not let you save a group with the same name as an existing contact or group. If you get an error saying the name is already in use, try adding a number or descriptor to the end, like "Marketing Team 2024" instead of "Marketing Team".

What if I type a group name in the "To" field and it does not appear?

Make sure you spelled the group name exactly as you saved it. Group names are case-sensitive in some versions of Outlook. If you still cannot find it, go back to your Contacts and verify the group exists and has members in it. If the group is empty, Outlook may not show it as an option.

Can I send an email to a group and have everyone see who else got it?

Not with a personal group. When you send to a group, each recipient gets an individual copy. If you need everyone to see the full recipient list, you would need to use a shared mailbox or a Microsoft 365 group, which your IT department can set up for you.

If I delete someone from a group, do they get notified?

No. Removing someone from a group does not send them any notification. The change only affects future emails you send to that group. Past emails they received are not affected.

Can I create a group that includes other groups?

In Outlook on the web and desktop, you can add a group to another group by selecting "From Contacts" when adding members and choosing a group name instead of an individual contact. On Mac, this feature may be limited depending on your version.