What is a Shared Mailbox in Microsoft 365?

A Shared Mailbox in Microsoft 365 is a mailbox that multiple users can access and use to send or receive emails, share calendars, and manage tasks collaboratively. It’s ideal for teams or departments that handle group communications.

Key Features of a Shared Mailbox

1. No Individual Login: Shared mailboxes do not have individual usernames or passwords. Access is granted to users through permissions.
2. Send and Receive Emails:: Users can send emails as the shared mailbox (Send As) or on behalf of it (Send on Behalf).
3. Shared Calendar: : Includes a shared calendar for scheduling and managing team events.
4. No License Required: Shared mailboxes don’t require a license unless their size exceeds 50 GB or they require an archive mailbox.

Common Use Cases

1. Support Teams: Use shared mailboxes for customer inquiries (e.g., support@company.com).
2. Departmental Communication: Centralize team communication for departments like HR or Finance.
3. Project Management: Share email threads and calendars among project team members.

How to Create and Manage Shared Mailboxes

Shared mailboxes can be created via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center or PowerShell. Example PowerShell command:

New-Mailbox -Shared -Name "Support Team" -PrimarySmtpAddress "support@company.com"

Assign Permissions

• Full Access: Allows users to open and manage the shared mailbox.
• Send As: Enables only send email permission from the shared mailbox address.

Shared mailboxes are a cost-effective and efficient way to enhance team collaboration while maintaining secure and organized communication.

Explore More

• Create Shared Mailbox Using Microsoft 365 Admin Center
• Create Shared Mailbox Using Exchange PowerShell