How to Add a Microsoft 365 Shared Mailbox to Outlook on iPhone or iPad
Add a Microsoft 365 shared mailbox to Outlook on your iPhone or iPad in a few taps. See what you need first and what to try if it will not connect.
A shared mailbox lets a team read and reply from the same inbox, such as an accounts or info address. If you use Outlook on your iPhone or iPad, adding one takes a few taps, as long as you have been given access.
This guide explains how to add one, and what to try if it will not connect.
What you need first
You need permission to use the shared mailbox, and both your own mailbox and the shared mailbox need to be on Microsoft 365.
If you are not sure you have access, check with whoever manages your Microsoft 365 before you start. Without permission, the steps below will not work.
How to add it
Open the Outlook app and sign in to your own work account. Tap Add Account in the menu on the left, then tap Add a Shared Mailbox. If you have more than one account in Outlook, choose the one that has access to the shared mailbox.
When it finishes, the shared mailbox appears in your list of accounts in Outlook.
Use the Outlook app
A shared mailbox is added inside the Outlook app, using your own account’s access, rather than by signing in to the shared mailbox directly.
Shared mailboxes are not officially supported in Apple’s Mail app. There are workarounds that sometimes get one working, but they can stop working without warning, so use the Outlook app instead. Our guide to choosing an email app for Microsoft 365 on a Mac explains the options on a Mac.
If you see an authentication error
Sometimes a shared mailbox adds fine on a computer but fails on an iPhone with an “Authentication Failed” message. First check that you added it inside the Outlook app using Add a Shared Mailbox, and that you chose the account that has access.
If it still fails, remove your own account from Outlook and add it again, restart the iPhone, then add the shared mailbox once more. If that does not work, delete the Outlook app, reinstall it from the App Store and sign in again.
How to remove a shared mailbox
In Outlook, go to Settings, then Accounts. Tap the shared mailbox and choose Delete Account.
Need a hand?
If your team’s mailboxes are not set up the way you want, or a phone will not connect, we can help. See our Microsoft 365 & Email service, or contact Your Mac Tech. Our guide to setting up Microsoft 365 for a Mac-based business may also help.
