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How to Set Up a Shared Inbox for a Small Business

Applies toMicrosoft 365
15 min fix Updated 21 Jul 2026

By , 10+ years in IT support and helpdesk How these guides are checked

Quick Answer

In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, go to Teams & groups > Shared mailboxes, click Add a shared mailbox, give it an address (like info@), and then add your team members as members so they can access it in Outlook.

Checked against Microsoft Learn - new Outlook for Windows, Microsoft 365 Roadmap and between 5 Aug 2026 and 12 Sep 2026. Nothing published in that period has been linked to this guide.

Estimated Time to Fix: 15 minutes

Summary ​

When your business grows beyond a single person, you shouldn't use your personal email for general inquiries. A shared mailbox (like hello@, support@, or billing@) allows multiple employees to monitor and reply from the same email address without sharing passwords or paying for extra licenses.

Before You Start ​

  • You must have a Microsoft 365 Business subscription.
  • You must have Admin rights to create the mailbox.

Instructions ​

1. Create the shared mailbox ​

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
  2. On the left navigation menu, click Teams & groups > Shared mailboxes.
  3. Click Add a shared mailbox.
  4. Enter a Name (e.g., Customer Support) and an Email address (e.g., [email protected]).
  5. Click Save changes.

2. Add members to the mailbox ​

A shared mailbox doesn't have its own password. Instead, you grant your employees permission to access it using their own Microsoft 365 logins.

  1. After the mailbox is created, a "Next steps" window will appear. Click Add members to this mailbox.
  2. Click Add members.
  3. Check the box next to each person who needs access.
  4. Click Save and then Close.

3. Open the shared mailbox in Outlook ​

Once you give someone access, they don't need to do anything complicated to open it.

  1. Tell your team members to close and reopen the desktop Outlook app.
  2. The shared mailbox will automatically appear in the left folder pane, below their primary inbox folders. (Note: It can take up to 30 minutes for Microsoft to process the permissions. If it doesn't appear right away, wait and restart Outlook again).
  3. To send an email from the shared address, open a new email, click the From dropdown at the top, and select the shared address.

Troubleshooting ​

WARNING

If a user is using the Outlook Mobile app on their phone, shared mailboxes do not appear automatically. They must be added manually.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
The shared mailbox isn't appearing in OutlookSync delayWait 30-60 minutes and restart Outlook. If it's still missing, verify they were added as a member in the Admin Center.
I can't see the "From" button when drafting an emailButton is hiddenIn a new email window, go to the Options tab and click From to reveal the field.
Users get "Access Denied" when trying to sendSend As permissionsGo back to the Admin Center > Shared Mailboxes, edit the mailbox, and ensure users have both "Read and manage" and "Send as" permissions.

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Frequently asked questions

Does a shared mailbox cost extra money?
No. Shared mailboxes are free in Microsoft 365 and do not require their own license, as long as the people accessing them have a paid license.
Can multiple people read and reply to the same emails?
Yes. When someone replies to an email in the shared inbox, the reply will look like it came from the shared address (e.g., [email protected]), not their personal email.