A shared mailbox in Microsoft 365 lets multiple people read and send email from one central address, like [email protected] or [email protected]. No shared passwords required. No forwarding rules to manage. Everyone on the team sees the same inbox and can respond directly.

This guide walks you through the full setup in plain language, from creating the mailbox in the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre to accessing it in Outlook and sending email from the shared address.

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What Is a Shared Mailbox and When Should You Use One?

A shared mailbox is a central email address that a group of people can access without needing a separate licence. It is ideal for any inbox that belongs to a role rather than a person.

Common examples include:

• reception@ for front-of-house queries
• info@ for general enquiries
• accounts@ for billing and invoicing
• support@ for customer service

When someone leaves the business, the mailbox stays active and the team keeps working. That continuity is one of the biggest reasons businesses use shared mailboxes.

Shared Mailbox vs Distribution List: What Is the Difference?

Both options let you send email to a group, but they work differently.

• A shared mailbox stores emails in one central inbox that the team can read, reply to, and manage together. Everyone sees what has been handled.
• A distribution list forwards a copy of each email to every member. Each person gets their own copy in their personal inbox and responses are individual.

If you want a team inbox where everyone can see what is happening and respond from one address, use a shared mailbox. If you simply want to send a message to several people at once, a distribution list is the right tool.

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How to Create a Shared Mailbox in the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre

You will need Global Admin or Exchange Admin permissions to complete these steps.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre.
2. In the left menu, go to Teams and groups and then select Shared mailboxes.
3. Click Add a shared mailbox.
4. Enter a display name, for example Reception or Accounts Team.
5. Enter the email address you want to use, such as [email protected].
6. Select the correct domain from the dropdown if your organisation has more than one.
7. Click Save changes.

The mailbox is now created. The next step is to give your team members access to it.

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How to Give Users Access to the Shared Mailbox

1. In the Shared mailboxes list, click the mailbox you just created.
2. Under Members, click Edit.
3. Click Add members and search for the staff members who need access.
4. Select each person and click Save.

Members will automatically receive both Read and Manage and Send As permissions, which means they can read emails and send from the shared address. Allow up to 60 minutes for the mailbox to appear in Outlook after adding members.

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How to Access a Shared Mailbox in Outlook

Outlook Desktop (Windows or Mac)

In most cases, the shared mailbox will appear automatically in the left sidebar under your personal mailbox once permissions have been applied. If it does not appear after an hour, you can add it manually:

1. Go to File and then Account Settings and then Account Settings again.
2. Select your email account and click Change.
3. Click More Settings, then open the Advanced tab.
4. Click Add and type the shared mailbox email address.
5. Click OK and then Next to finish.

Outlook on the Web (OWA)

1. Sign in to outlook.office.com with your own account.
2. Click your profile picture or initials in the top right corner.
3. Select Open another mailbox.
4. Type the shared mailbox address and click Open.

The shared mailbox will open in a new browser tab, separate from your personal inbox.

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How to Send Email From the Shared Mailbox Address

Once you have access, you can send email that appears to come from the shared address rather than your personal account.

In Outlook Desktop

1. Open a new email and click the From field. If you cannot see the From field, click Options and then From.
2. Click the From address and select Other email address.
3. Type the shared mailbox address, for example [email protected].
4. Click OK and send as normal.

In Outlook on the Web

If you opened the shared mailbox using Open another mailbox, all emails you compose from that tab will automatically send from the shared address. No extra steps required.

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Common Issues and Fixes

The shared mailbox is not appearing in Outlook

Permissions can take up to 60 minutes to apply. If the mailbox still does not appear after that, restart Outlook and check that the user’s account was correctly added as a member in the Admin Centre.

Send permission errors when trying to send from the shared address

Make sure the user has Send As permissions, not just Full Access. In the Admin Centre, open the shared mailbox, go to Members, and confirm the correct permissions are applied. You can also check this in the Exchange Admin Centre under Recipients and then Shared.

Emails sent from the shared mailbox appear to come from the personal account

This usually happens when the From field was not changed before sending. Go back through the steps above and make sure the From address is set to the shared mailbox before clicking send.

Replies are going to the personal inbox instead of the shared mailbox

In the shared mailbox settings in the Admin Centre, check the Automatic replies and Sent items settings. You may need to enable the option that copies sent items to the shared mailbox folder.

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How Microsoft Copilot Helps With Shared Mailboxes

If your organisation has Microsoft 365 Copilot enabled, it can make managing a shared mailbox significantly faster.

• Draft responses: Copilot can read an incoming email in the shared mailbox and suggest a full draft reply, saving your team time on repetitive queries.
• Reply templates: Copilot can generate template responses for common questions, which team members can then personalise before sending.
• Summarise threads: In a busy shared inbox, Copilot can summarise long email threads so team members can get up to speed quickly without reading every message.

This is particularly useful for high-volume inboxes like reception or support, where the same types of questions come in repeatedly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does a shared mailbox need a Microsoft 365 licence?

No. Shared mailboxes up to 50 GB do not require a dedicated licence. The users who access the mailbox need their own licences, but the mailbox itself does not.

How many people can access a shared mailbox?

There is no hard limit on the number of members. In practice, shared mailboxes work best when a small team manages them together. Larger teams may benefit from a helpdesk tool.

Can I set up automatic replies on a shared mailbox?

Yes. In the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre, open the shared mailbox and look for Automatic replies. You can set up out-of-office messages that apply to the shared address independently of any personal out-of-office settings.

Can I access a shared mailbox on my phone?

Yes. In the Outlook mobile app, go to Settings, tap your account, and look for the option to add a shared mailbox. The experience varies slightly between iOS and Android but the option is available on both.

What happens to the shared mailbox when a member leaves?

Nothing. The mailbox continues to operate normally. Simply remove the former employee from the member list in the Admin Centre and add their replacement.

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Need Help Setting This Up?

Shared mailboxes are one of the quickest wins in Microsoft 365, but getting permissions and settings right can take time if you are unfamiliar with the Admin Centre. If you would like someone to handle the setup for you or check that your current configuration is correct, our team is happy to help.

Get in touch with the Otto IT team or book a time directly with our team here.