Resolved: Office 365 Shared Mailbox Not Showing in Outlook

What is Office 365’s Shared Mailbox?

Office 365’s Shared Mailbox is a feature provided by Microsoft within its Office 365 suite of productivity tools. It allows multiple users within an organization to access a common mailbox. This feature is typically used for specific purposes like customer support, sales inquiries, or project collaboration. You can think of it as a centralized location for managing emails related to specific tasks. But what if the shared mailbox is not visible in Outlook?

This is a common error in Outlook when these shared mailboxes are not visible. What could be the possible cause? Why is my shared mailbox not showing in Outlook? The following section has all its answers:

• If users don’t have the right permissions, the mailbox won’t show up.
• The shared mailbox might not be added to the Outlook account.
• You are using the outdated Outlook that doesn’t support shared mailbox.
• Auto-mapping is disabled in Outlook, thus keeping the mailbox hidden.
• Some changes get into effect after a while, so check for proper Internet.

Apart from this, there can be other reasons as well. So, first, find out the reason for the ‘Microsoft 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook’ error. Further, let us learn how to fix this Outlook error.

Fix the Error- Office 365 Shared Mailbox not Showing in Outlook

Wondering, how to get a shared mailbox to show in Outlook? Well, you can find several solutions online to resolve this Outlook error. However, before beginning you must follow the given instructions:

• Restart your system and then reopen Outlook.
• Check you are properly connected to the internet.
• Update MS Outlook to the latest version.

Many times, these mistakes can also result in numerous errors within Outlook. If the problem shared mailbox Office 365 not showing in Outlook persists, follow the given methods.

#1. Fix the Error by Checking Logs

If the error Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook exists, follow these simple steps to create logs. Look through the steps to find and solve the problem:

1. Open Outlook, then click on File, then Options, and finally Advanced.
2. In the Advanced settings, tick the box that says ‘Enable troubleshooting logging (requires restarting Outlook)’ and then click OK.
3. Close Outlook and open it again.
4. You can find the log files in the %localappdata%/Temp folder or C:/Users/UserName/AppData/Temp folder.

Take a look at the logs and fix any issues to get your shared mailbox folders working again.

#2: Check and Disable Auto-Mapping

There is a feature in Office 365, called Autodiscover. It usually loads Shared Mailboxes automatically when users have full access to them. This means, that when you log in to the web app or open Outlook, the Shared Mailbox pops up right away.

But sometimes, this doesn’t happen and you encounter the ‘Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook’ error. So, you might need to disable this auto-mapping feature. Here’s how:

• Open Windows Powershell as an administrator.
• Type in this command to save your login details:

• Next, enter your Office 365 login info and click OK.
• Type in this command to connect to Office 365:

• Import the Exchange Online session with this command.

• Once connected, you’ll remove permissions for accessing the Shared Mailbox. For example, let’s say you’re removing permission for david@abc.com to access software@abc.com‘s mailbox:

Note: Update your email address with software@abc.com with the address of the shared mailbox, and replace ‘david@abc.com’ with the email ID of your user.

• Go to Account Settings in Outlook, select your account, and click the Remove button to eliminate the shared mailbox.
• Then, grant full access permission to the shared mailbox again and turn off auto-mapping with this command:

• You can now manually add the Shared Mailbox to your Outlook account. This will create a new mailbox file (OST), and the old one won’t work anymore.
• Repeat these steps for each user who needs access to the Shared Mailbox.

#3. Manually Add the Shared Mailbox

After performing the method above, open Outlook, and verify if the problem ‘Microsoft 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook’ is resolved. If not, switch to another method discussed in this section.

In this method, you need to add a shared mailbox manually. Follow the steps:

1. Open Outlook > File > then Account Settings > again Account Settings.
2. In the Email tab, double-click on your Email Account to see its settings.
3. Next, click on More Settings and then go to the Advanced tab.
4. After that, check the box that says Download Shared Folders.
5. Further, click on Add, then type in the name of the Shared Mailbox.
6. Lastly, click OK, then Apply, and finally OK again. All the settings will be saved.

Is the Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook error solved? Well, some might have found the right solution till now. However, if you haven’t, try recreating Outlook Profile.

#4. Make a New Outlook Profile

There could be another scenario where your Outlook Profile is corrupt. Ultimately causing the error shared mailbox Office 365 not showing in Outlook. In that case, follow the steps below to make a new email setup:

1. Firstly, make sure you have properly shut down Outlook.
2. Open the Control Panel on your system.
3. Find the Mail option and click on it.
4. Click on Show Profiles, then Add.
5. After typing in the name for your new profile, click OK.
6. Enter your Microsoft 365 details to set up your account with this new profile.
7. Now, close the Control Panel and open Outlook again.
8. From the profile name list, choose a new profile name. Click OK.
9. Outlook will open with your new setup. Wait a bit for everything to sync up.
10. Check all your email folders, including the Shared Mailbox. It should show up now.

So, did this method work to fix- The Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook?

Limitations of the Manual Solutions

When a Shared mailbox is not visible in Outlook, you can either resolve it manually or using tools. If you try to resolve it manually, you might face some limitations. Because manual processes involve technicalities, not a piece of cake for all. Here’s why the manual process should not be considered:

• These processes might fail to deliver the desired outcomes.
• Requires technical know-how in Outlook and Office 365.
• The procedure gets lengthy and needs significant time to perform.
• Cloud storage can be risky, making your data vulnerable to theft.

Hence, if none of these solutions work, switch to a proficient professional tool. You can easily import shared mailbox data to Outlook using the backup tool.

Specialized Tool to Import Office 365 Mailbox Data to Outlook

Use the best MigrateEmails Office 365 Migration Tool to view all Office 365 mailbox data in Outlook. This multi-featured tool will help you overcome the limitations of manual methods and you can access the shared mailbox in Outlook. It allows users to directly migrate Office 365 data to other email clients or you can backup them locally. Additionally, the tool can be operated by all because it doesn’t require any technical expertise and has an interactive interface. Also, you can run the tool on all versions of Windows OS.

Also Read: Best Methods for Office 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration

Conclusion

To fix the error- Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook, we have discussed different methods. Try any of the troubleshooting methods discussed. However, if none of the solutions work, use the suggested tool and import Shared Mailbox to Outlook within a few easy steps. Furthermore, to avoid such errors take necessary precautions and keep your data secure.

About The Author:

Kiran Sharma

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