How to Share and Delegate Mailboxes in Outlook

Sharing or delegating a mailbox in Outlook makes teamwork easier by allowing trusted colleagues to view, send, or manage emails on your behalf. Whether you need to share access for visibility or delegate permissions so someone can send messages as you, Outlook for Windows, Mac, and Web gives you flexible control.

Axio Networks Tip: Proper mailbox sharing ensures security and accountability. We recommend delegating access through Microsoft 365 rather than sharing login credentials — it’s more secure, auditable, and compliant with best practices.

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How to Share Your Outlook Mailbox (Windows & Mac)

If you want a colleague to view your emails but not send messages on your behalf, follow these steps:

🖥️ Windows

1. Open Outlook and click the File tab.
2. Go to Account Settings → Delegate Access.
3. Click Add…, then type the colleague’s email address.
4. Select their name and click Add → OK.
5. Set their permission level:
   • Reviewer: Can read emails only.
   • Author: Can read and create emails, but not delete.
   • Editor: Can read, send, and delete emails.
6. Click OK to save your changes.
   ✅ The mailbox will appear under “Shared Mailboxes” in the person’s Outlook.

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💻 Mac

1. Open Outlook and go to File → Account Settings → Delegates.
2. Click the + (Add Delegate) button and type the person’s email.
3. Choose their permission level and click OK.
   ✅ Your mailbox is now shared successfully.

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How to Delegate Mailbox Access (Allow Someone to Send Emails for You)

Delegating mailbox access lets someone send emails on your behalf — perfect for executives, assistants, or team managers.

🖥️ Windows

1. Open Outlook and click File.
2. Select Account Settings → Delegate Access.
3. Click Add…, then select the person you want to delegate.
4. Choose their permission level:
   • Reviewer: Can read messages.
   • Editor: Can send and edit messages.
   • Author: Can send but not delete messages.
5. Click OK to save.
   ✅ The delegate can now send emails on behalf of your account.

Example: “Sent on behalf of John Smith.”

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💻 Mac

1. Go to Outlook → Settings → Delegates.
2. Click + Add Delegate and enter their email.
3. Choose Delegate Permissions, then click Save.
   ✅ Your delegate can now send messages on your behalf.

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How to Open a Shared Mailbox in Outlook

Once you’ve been granted access, use the following steps to open the mailbox.

🖥️ Windows & Mac

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click File → Account Settings → Open Another Mailbox.
3. Enter the shared mailbox email and click Open.

🌐 Outlook Web (OWA)

1. Go to Outlook Web App.
2. Click your profile picture in the top-right corner.
3. Select Open another mailbox…
4. Enter the shared mailbox email and click Open.
   ✅ The mailbox will now appear in your Outlook folder list.

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How to Remove Mailbox Sharing or Delegation

1. Go to File → Account Settings → Delegate Access.
2. Select the person’s name and click Remove.
3. Click OK to confirm.
   ✅ The person’s access is immediately revoked.

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Key Differences Between Sharing and Delegation

Feature	Sharing Mailbox	Delegation
View Emails	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Send Emails	❌ No	✅ Yes (On Behalf Of)
Delete Emails	❌ No	✅ Yes (If Granted)
Calendar Access	❌ No	✅ Yes (If Enabled)

🔹 Use mailbox sharing if you only want someone to read your emails.
🔹 Use delegation if they need to send or manage emails on your behalf.

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Need Help Managing Shared Mailboxes in Microsoft 365?

Axio Networks can help configure shared and delegated mailboxes securely across your organization.
We manage Microsoft 365 permissions, email migrations, and user setups so you can stay focused on business, not tech headaches.
👉 Contact Axio Networks today for expert Outlook and Microsoft 365 support.