Shared Mailboxes Explained (Microsoft 365)
Setting up and managing shared email addresses like info@ and accounts@
What Is a Shared Mailbox?
A shared mailbox is an email address that multiple people can read and send from, without needing a separate username and password. Common examples are info@yourcompany.com, sales@yourcompany.com, or accounts@yourcompany.com.
The best part: shared mailboxes do not require their own Microsoft 365 licence, so there is no extra cost. They are included in your existing plan.
When to Use a Shared Mailbox
- A general enquiry address like info@ or hello@ that several people need to monitor.
- A department address like accounts@ or support@ where multiple people handle requests.
- When someone leaves and you want their email to continue being monitored without paying for a licence.
- Any situation where more than one person needs to see and reply to the same emails.
Creating a Shared Mailbox
Step 1: Open the admin centre
- Go to admin.microsoft.com and sign in.
Step 2: Navigate to shared mailboxes
- In the left menu, expand Teams & groups (or Groups on some versions).
- Click Shared mailboxes.
Step 3: Create the mailbox
- Click Add a shared mailbox.
- Enter a display name (e.g. ‘Company Info’) and the email address you want (e.g. info@yourcompany.com).
- Click Save changes.
Step 4: Add members
- After creating the mailbox, click on it in the list.
- Under Members, click Edit.
- Add the people who need access to read and send from this mailbox.
- Click Save.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Shared mailboxes have a 50GB storage limit. If you need more, you will need to assign a licence.
- Shared mailboxes cannot sign in directly. They are accessed through the member accounts.
- Sent items can be configured to save in the shared mailbox’s sent folder (recommended) rather than each individual’s sent folder. This is done through the mailbox settings.
- You can also add a shared mailbox to the Outlook mobile app if your staff need access on their phones.