Add a shared mailbox in Outlook

A shared mailbox lets a team work from one address without a separate password. Your IT administrator has to grant you access first; after that it usually appears on its own within an hour.

1. 1

   Wait for it to appear automatically

   Once permission is granted, close Outlook completely, wait a few minutes and reopen it. The shared mailbox normally appears as an extra folder set below your own.

2. 2

   Add it manually if it does not

   Click File, Account Settings, Account Settings, select your account, click Change, then More Settings, Advanced tab, Add — and type the shared mailbox address.

3. 3

   Send from the shared address

   Start a new email, click Options, From, then Other Email Address and type the shared address. Once used, it stays in the From dropdown.

   Tip: If you get a "cannot send on behalf of" bounce, you have read access but not Send As — ask your administrator to add it.

4. 4

   Make sent items save to the right place

   By default replies land in your own Sent Items. In Microsoft 365 an administrator can switch this so they save into the shared mailbox, which the whole team can see.

5. 5

   Agree a working routine

   Use categories or a simple "Dealt with" folder so two people do not answer the same customer. Colour categories are visible to everyone with access.