How to Add a Shared Mailbox in Outlook for Mac

Shared mailboxes allow teams to collaborate by centralising communication in a single inbox (e.g., info@, support@, accounts@). This guide walks you through adding a shared mailbox in Outlook for Mac, covering both the New Outlook and the Legacy Outlook interface.

Before You Start

• You need to have been granted access to the shared mailbox by your Microsoft 365 administrator. If you haven’t been given access, ask your IT team to add you
• You need to know the email address of the shared mailbox you want to add
• Make sure Outlook for Mac is up to date
• If you want to send as or send on behalf of the shared mailbox, you’ll need to have additional permission assigned to your account by an administrator.

Method 1: New Outlook for Mac (Microsoft 365)

The new Outlook interface provides a faster way to add shared mailboxes with minimal configuration.

1. Open Outlook on your Mac
2. In the left sidebar, locate your primary mailbox (usually your name)
3. Right-click your primary mailbox
4. Select “Add Shared Folder or Mailbox”
5. Enter the shared mailbox email address
6. Click Add

The shared mailbox will now appear in your folder list under your main account.

Method 2: Legacy Outlook for Mac

If you’re still using the Legacy Outlook experience, you can add a shared mailbox through your account settings.

1. Open Outlook
2. From the top menu bar, click Tools
3. Select Accounts
4. Choose your Exchange account
5. Click Delegation and Sharing
6. Under “Shared With Me”, click the + icon
7. Enter the shared mailbox email address, then click Add

The shared mailbox will appear in your Outlook folder list once added.

Troubleshooting

• Mailbox doesn’t appear after adding: Try restarting Outlook. If it still doesn’t show, wait a few minutes as it may take time to sync
• “You don’t have permission” error: Contact your IT administrator to verify that your account has been granted Full Access or Send As permissions on the shared mailbox
• Can’t find “Add Shared Folder” option: Make sure you’re right-clicking on your primary mailbox name in the sidebar, not on a specific folder within it
• Shared mailbox not syncing: Check your internet connection and try signing out and back in to Outlook
• Emails sent from shared mailbox show your name: This is normal unless “Send As” permission has been configured. Ask your IT administrator to set up “Send As” if you need emails to appear as coming from the shared mailbox

Sending Emails from a Shared Mailbox

Once the shared mailbox is added, and you’ve been granted send as or send on behalf of permission:

1. Create a new email
2. Click the From field (you may need to expand it)
3. Select the shared mailbox address from the dropdown
4. Compose and send your email as normal

Key Takeaway

Adding a shared mailbox in Outlook for Mac is pretty straightforward, whether you’re using the New or Legacy version. If the mailbox doesn’t appear after adding it, restart Outlook and check with your admin whether you’ve got the correct permissions. For organisations using shared mailboxes for team communication, make sure the appropriate permissions (Full Access and Send As) are assigned through the Microsoft 365 admin centre or via the Exhange Online PowerShell module.

Need help setting up shared mailboxes for your team? Get in touch with our team.

Related Resources

• Fix: Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in Causing Outlook to Crash
• How to set up a signature in Outlook