How to access a shared mailbox in Outlook

If you have been given access to a shared mailbox (such as info@, accounts@, or support@), it should appear automatically in Outlook within around 30 minutes. If it hasn’t appeared, or you need to add it manually, follow the steps below for your device.

Outlook on the web

The shared mailbox should appear in the left-hand folder pane automatically. If it doesn’t:

1. Right-click your mailbox name in the left pane and select Add shared folder.
2. Type the name or email address of the shared mailbox.
3. Select it from the results and click Add.

The shared mailbox will appear as a separate section below your own folders.

Outlook on Windows (desktop app)

Shared mailboxes usually auto-map and appear in the folder pane within 30 minutes of access being granted. If it hasn’t appeared:

1. Open Outlook and go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
2. Select your email account and click Change.
3. Click More Settings > Advanced.
4. Click Add and type the shared mailbox email address.
5. Click OK, then Next, then Finish.
6. Restart Outlook. The shared mailbox should now appear in the folder pane.

Outlook on Mac

Shared mailboxes auto-map on Mac in the same way as Windows. If the shared mailbox hasn’t appeared after 30 minutes:

1. Open Outlook and right-click your account name in the left sidebar.
2. Select Account Settings.
3. Click Delegation and Sharing.
4. Under Shared with Me, check that the shared mailbox is listed. If it is, tick the box next to it.

If the shared mailbox doesn’t appear in the delegation list, your access may not have been applied yet. Raise a support ticket and we’ll check your permissions.

Outlook mobile (iOS and Android)

You can add a shared mailbox directly in the Outlook mobile app:

1. Open Outlook and tap your profile icon in the top-left corner.
2. Tap the settings icon (gear/cog).
3. Under Mail accounts, tap your work account.
4. Tap Shared Mailboxes (iOS) or Add Shared Mailbox (Android).
5. Type the name or email address of the shared mailbox and tap Add.

The shared mailbox will appear as a separate account in your folder list. You can switch to it by tapping your profile icon and selecting it. Notifications for the shared mailbox are turned off by default, but you can enable them in the shared mailbox settings.

Sending from a shared mailbox

When replying to or composing an email from a shared mailbox, make sure the From field shows the shared mailbox address, not your personal address. In Outlook on the web and desktop, click the From field and select the shared mailbox. If the option doesn’t appear, contact us so we can check your Send As or Send on Behalf permissions.

Still having trouble? Raise a support ticket and we’ll get it sorted.