How to Add a Shared Mailbox in Outlook

A shared mailbox is just what it sounds like – an email inbox that multiple users can access and share. It’s great for business teams or groups, like students, to see the same messages and share a calendar. Here’s how to add a shared mailbox in Outlook.

Before You Begin Adding a Shared Mailbox in Outlook

It’s important to note that you first need to be granted access to a shared mailbox before you can add it. The account holder (admin) is the only person who can provide access, so you may have to request it from them in accordance with whatever policy or system your business or organization has in place. Only when you’ve been granted access should you proceed with the methods below.

How to Add a Shared Mailbox in Outlook (Classic/Old)

If you’re working with the older or Classic version of Outlook (including Outlook 2013 and 2016), sometimes closing and restarting it is all you need to do for a shared mailbox to show up once the admin has added you. But if that doesn’t work, here are the manual steps:

Step 1. Click the “File” button.

Step 2. Go to “Account Settings” and then “Account Settings” again.

Step 3. Click on your email account so it’s highlighted, then click the “Change” button in the menu above it.

Step 4. Click “More Settings” in the box that appears, then go to the “Advanced” tab of the pop-up window.

Step 5. Click “Add” and then type in the name of your shared mailbox. Hit “OK.” Then hit “Apply” and “OK” on the previous “Microsoft Exchange” window, too. Close the other pop-up windows that are still open and return to your inbox. You should now see the shared mailbox added and available to access.

How to Add Shared Mailbox in Outlook 365 (New)

If you’re on the “New” Outlook, you may also find that closing and reopening the client is all it takes to have your shared mailbox appear (after you’ve been added by the admin). However, there is a manual method to try, if that doesn’t work.

Step 1. Select the “Mail” pane.

Step 2. Find your email account name in the list of folders on the left side. Right-click it and then select “Add shared folder or mailbox.”

Step 3. Enter the name of your shared mailbox and confirm to add it. Then go back to the “Mail” pane and look for the “Shared with me” folder. Open that and you should see your shared mailbox.

Adding a Shared Mailbox in Outlook on the Web

Lastly, you can also choose to add a shared mailbox via the web-based version of Outlook, rather than the desktop version. This is quite a similar process to adding a shared mailbox in Outlook(New).

Step 1. Open your Outlook account, and right-click the “Folders” button on the left.

Step 2. Click on “Add shared folder or mailbox.”

Step 3. Enter the name of your shared mailbox and click to add it. It should then show up in your list of folders.