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Microsoft 365 - How to Access a Shared Mailbox or Service Account
Important:
- For Microsoft 365 access, you can only access the Shared Mailboxes or Service Account using the following processes listed below.
- All Shared Mailboxes and Service Accounts, when created, are hidden from the Global Address List (GAL). This means that they won't be searchable from any client using the GAL.
Outlook on the web - Access the account via 'Open Mailbox' feature
To access an account via the 'Open Another Mailbox' feature in Outlook on the web, the account you are logging in with must have full mailbox permissions to the account.
- Login to Outlook on the web with the account which has full mailbox permissions to the account.
- After logging in, select your profile picture in the top right, pictured below, to get the drop down menu and choose "open another mailbox".
- This will give you a window to search for the account mailbox you are trying to open. Please type in the email address of the account you have access to.
- Make sure the correct email address is listed and choose the "Open"option.
Note: if you experience an error at this step, please review this document
- A new window/tab for Outlook on the web should appear in your browser for the account.
Outlook on the web - Access the shared mailbox or service account via add shared folder
This method can be used by individuals to access an account's mailbox in the Outlook on the web client. This process requires that the NetID account you login to Microsoft 365 has full mailbox permissions to the account.
Use the steps outlined in this section.
Outlook desktop/mobile client - Access the shared mailbox or service account via full mailbox
- Outlook for Windows: the account will automatically be mapped into your profile. Learn more.
- Outlook for Mac: the account will need to be manually configured/opened. Learn more.
- Outlook for iOS/Android device: the account will need to be manually configured/opened. Learn more.
Important for email domain administrators: If full mailbox permissions were assigned via a Microsoft security group, the shared mailbox or service account won't 'automap' into Outlook for Windows. It will need to be manually added:
Classic Outlook for Windows - add account manually
- Start Outlook
- Go File | Account Settings | Account Settings menu selection.
- On the 'Email' tab, click New.
- Enter the email address of the account and click Connect.
- If you are prompted to restart Outlook, do so.
New Outlook for Windows - add account manually
- Start Outlook
- Click on the gear icon located at top right of your Outlook window.
- Within 'Accounts section', click Shared with me.
- Click +Add button.
- Within the 'Add a shared email account', enter the email address of the account and click Continue.
- If you are prompted to restart Outlook, do so.
Outlook on the web - Log into the Service Account using the Service Account credentials
Shared mailbox accounts don’t have the capability to be logged into. Only service accounts can be assigned credentials to log in with. Contact your domain administrator for assistance on how to setup a password for the service account.
Once you have set a password for the Service Account:
- Open a browser session that isn't currently logged into the campus NetID login service.
- Go to Outlook on the web login screen.
- Enter the log in credentials for the Service Account: name_domain.
E.g. Service Account: help@doit.wisc.edu - Service Account NetID: help_doit.
Note: If you don't know the Service Account credentials, contact your email domain administrator.
Access account in a desktop/mobile client via its credentials
By default, when an account is created, no one can access it via Outlook client. Users will need to be granted full mailbox permission before they can access it. This is the recommended way to access an account. However, if you want to configure a service account directly within a desktop/mobile client, then you need to set a password on the service account. Once the service account has a password, use the Microsoft 365 (Outlook for Android/iOS) - Configuring the Outlook app for Android/iOS documentation to configure it. Shared mailboxes can't have a password set to them.