Follow the instructions below to add or remove shared email accounts using Microsoft Outlook.

How to add a shared mailbox

Using Windows, from the desktop client

Add a shared email account

1. Within Outlook, select 'File' and then 'Add Account'
   
   
   
2. Enter the Shared Mailbox email address, (in the format sharedmailboxusername@soton.ac.uk) and then select 'Connect'.
   
   If you do not know the username of the shared email account, please check with the account owner.
   
   
   
3. You should see the following screen appear. Please select 'Sign in with another account'
   
   
   
4. When prompted, enter your university email (username@soton.ac.uk), and select 'Next'
   
   
   
5. If asked to choose between Personal or Work/School account, please select 'Work or School'
   
   
6. Enter your university password, and select 'Sign in'
   
    
7. On the below screen, select 'This app only'
   
   
   
8. Un-tick the option to 'Set up Outlook Mobile on my phone, too' and select 'Done'
   
   
   
9. The account should now be visible on the left-hand side of your Outlook.

If you received an error such as “Cannot Expand folders” when trying to access the account once you have added the account to Outlook, please complete the access request form on the page Email - Generic Account Access.

 

How to add a generic account on older versions of Outlook

If you are using Outlook 2016, you may need to add or edit your profile from the Control Panel.
 
To do that, exit from Outlook and follow the instructions here below:

1. From the prompt, type Control Panel and click on the Control Panel icon
   
   
   
2. Click on the Mail icon
   
3. Click on Email Accounts to add another account
   
4. From here you can add new accounts, set one of the accounts as Default account or remove the accounts you do not need anymore. Click on 'New'
   
   
   
5. Enter your name, the shared email address and then click on 'Next'
   
   
   
6. A new window will appear
   
   
   
7. You will be requested to sign in again. Enter the shared mailbox email address, (in the format sharedmailboxusername@soton.ac.uk) and then select 'Next'
   
   
   
8. Now select 'Sign in with another account'
   
   
   
9. When prompted, enter your personal university email (username@soton.ac.uk), and select 'Next'
   
   
   
10. If asked to choose between Personal or Work/School account, please select 'Work or School'
    
    
11. Enter your university password, and select 'Sign in'
    
    
    
12. At the end of the set-up, a new banner will appear. Click on 'Finish' to close it.
    
    
    
13. Turn on Outlook. The new shared folder will appear under the list of your folders.

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Using macOS (Outlook 2022 + 2019) 

Add a shared email account

1. Launch Outlook for Mac
   
   
2. Go to the menu bar and click on 'Tools' and then 'Accounts'
   
   
   
3. Select your university account that has access to the shared mailbox you wish to open
   
   
4. Click on 'Delegation and Sharing'
   
   
5. From the new window:
   
   1. select the 'Shared with me' tab
   2. under the option 'Open these additional mailboxes', select the plus button (+)
   3. add the name of the account you want to add.
   4. Then, select 'Add' 
      
      
6. The setup should now be complete. Email and calendar data may take some time to sync.
   
   If you are confident with macOS, you can follow a quicker path:
   
   1. Select 'File' from the menu bar
   2. Click on 'Open'
   3. Click on 'Shared Mailbox' to open a shared or delegated mailbox
   4. Type the name of the account you want to add
   5. Select 'Add' 

Only default folders that you have permissions to (such as 'Inbox', 'Sent Items', 'Deleted Items', and 'Calendar') will appear in the folder list without top-level mailbox folder permissions.

If you have permissions to custom folders in the mailbox but not to the top-level mailbox folder, the custom folders will not appear in the folder list.

Alternatively, to open a shared or delegated mailbox you can also go to:

1. 'File'
2. 'Open'
3. 'Shared Mailbox'.

If you are using an older version of Outlook (for example: Outlook 2016 or older) please read the instructions in the following article from the Microsoft blog: Open a shared Mail, Calendar or People folder in Outlook for Mac.

 

How to add a generic account on older versions of Outlook

1. Open your Outlook client as normal
   
   
2. Open 'Tools' on the menu bar
   
   
3. Select 'Accounts' 
   
   
   
4. Click on ‘Advanced’ in the bottom right of the screen
   
   
   
5. Click on 'Delegates' tab
   
   
   
6. Go to ‘People I am a delegate for' and select the '+' sign
   
   
   
7. Enter the generic mailbox username for the account you wish to see and click on ‘Find’
   
   
8. Highlight the name and select 'OK' or 'Add'
   
   
9. Close 'Accounts' and after a short wait, you should see the generic account beneath your mailbox.

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Using the browser version

1. Sign in to your account in Outlook
   
   
2. Under the left navigation menu, right-click on 'Folders'
   
   
   
3. Click on 'Add shared folder'
   
4. Type the name or email address shared with you (for example: ab1cd22@soton.ac.uk)
   
   
5. Click 'Add'

The shared mailbox will appear in your Folder list in Outlook.

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Using Android

1. Open the Outlook app
2. Select your profile picture next to the Inbox.
3. Select the Settings icon (a cog) in the bottom left of the page
4. Select 'Add Mail Account'
5. Then, select 'Add a shared mailbox'
6. Enter the email address of your shared mailbox and select, select 'Continue'
7. If the account has been added successfully you will see the following a new icon

You can toggle between the two accounts to see the mail in each account. 

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Using iOS

1. Go to 'Settings'
2. Click on 'Mail'
3. Select 'Accounts'
4. Select 'Add Account'
5. At this stage you can do one of the following actions:
   
   1. Tap an email service (for example: iCloud or Microsoft Exchange) then enter your university email account information.
   2. Tap 'Other', tap 'Add Mail Account', and then enter your university email account information.

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Using Linux

The best way to have quick access to your university mailbox is using the browser version of Outlook.

You will find step-by-step instructions within the section How to add a shared mailbox – Using the browser version.

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How to send and manage emails from the shared mailbox

From the desktop client

You can send emails and manage them from your shared folders listed within your desktop client.

How to send a message using Outlook for Windows

1. Open Outlook
2. Choose 'New message'
3. Click 'From' in the message, and change to the shared email address.
   
   1. If you don't see the From field at the top of your message, click 'Options', then 'From'
   2. If you don't see your shared email address, choose 'Other email address' and then type in the shared email address.
4. Choose 'OK'
5. Finish typing your message and then choose ‘Send’.

From now on when you want to send a message from your shared mailbox, the address will be available in your 'From' drop-down list.

Whenever you send a message from your shared mailbox, your recipients will only see the shared email address in the message.

How to send a message using Outlook for macOS

1. Open Outlook
2. Choose 'New message'
3. Next to 'From:', you’ll find the email address selected as the main
4. Click on the arrow near it and select the email you want to send a message from (for example, from your university email address or your shared email address)
5. Finish typing your message and then choose 'Send'.

How to manage your emails

After your admin has added you as a member of a shared mailbox, close and then restart Outlook.

The shared mailbox should automatically display in your Folder panel in Outlook. You can manage it as you do with your email.

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From the browser version

To send messages from the shared mailbox, you must open it in a separate window of the browser. By doing this you will also receive notifications of incoming messages.

Step-by-step process

1. Sign in to your account on the web
   
   
2. Type your name into the web navigation bar, and click on it. A list will appear
   
   
3. Select 'Open another mailbox'
   
   
   
4. Type the email address of the other mailbox that you want to open
   
   
5. Click 'Open'
   
   
6. Another session will open in a new tab and you will access the other mailbox.

You can now send a new message from this account by clicking on New message. The folder’s email address will automatically appear within the From: field. If you don't see the From field at the top of your message:

1. Select the Other options menu ('…')
   
   
2. Select 'Show from'
   

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From Android and iOS

You can send messages from a shared account following 2 ways:

1. Open the shared email account and select the 'New message' icon. The shared email address will automatically populate the 'From:' field.
   
   
2. Once you open the Outlook app
   
   1. Select the 'New message' icon
   2. Select the arrow near the email address that populates the field
   3. Select the email address you want to be the sender
   4. Type your message and send your message as usually 

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How to remove a shared mailbox

Using Windows, from the desktop client

1. Within Outlook, select:
   
   1. 'File'
   2. 'Account Settings'
   3. 'Account Settings'
      
      
      
2. Select the account you wish to remove from the list
   
   
3. Select 'Remove' from the top menu
   
   
4. Select 'Yes" and close the window

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Using macOS, from the desktop client

1. Launch Outlook for Mac
   
   
2. Go to the menu bar and click on 'Tools' and then 'Accounts'
   
   
   
3. Select your university account that has access to the shared mailbox you wish to open
   
   
4. Click on 'Delegation and Sharing' 
   
   
5. From the new window:
   
   1. Select the 'Shared with me tab'
   2. Select the name of the account you want to remove
   3. Under the option 'Open these additional mailboxes', select the minus button (-)
   4. Select 'Done' 

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Using the browser version

Deleting a shared folder from your list is quick and easy:

1. Go to the shared folder you want to remove
2. Right-click on it
3. Select the option 'Remove shared folder'

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Using Outlook for Android

1. Open the Outlook app
2. Select the Cog in the bottom left of the page
3. Select the account you want to remove
4. Scroll down until the bottom of the list and click on 'Delete account'

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Using Outlook for iOS

1. Go to 'Settings' and tap on:
   
   1. 'Mail'
   2. 'Accounts'
2. Tap the email account you want to remove, then do one of the following:
   
   1. If you’re removing an iCloud email account:
      
      1. Tap 'iCloud'
      2. tap 'iCloud Mail'
      3. turn off 'iCloud Mail'
   2. If you’re removing another email account: 'Turn off Mail'.

You can also remove the email account from all apps on your iPhone by tapping on 'Delete Account'.

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Using Linux

You will find step-by-step instructions to do it from the browser within the section “How to remove a shared mailbox – Using the browser version”.

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Related content

How to configure your university email account in Outlook

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