by The article covers how to share and access Outlook folders, including setting permission levels and troubleshooting common issues.
Sharing an Outlook folder allows your assistant, colleagues, or team members to access specific emails, tasks, or calendars without giving them full access to your mailbox. It's a practical way to collaborate, ensuring everyone has the information they need. This guide walks you through the process step by step in classic Outlook 365, the new Outlook app, and the web version.
Important note! Sharing an Outlook folder is only possible for Microsoft 365 subscriptions and Microsoft Exchange based work or school accounts.
How to share a folder in Outlook 365 – 2016
Before sharing folders with others, you need to provide limited permissions to your mailbox that will allow their Outlook to recognize and display shared folders.
To share a folder in classic desktop Outlook (including Outlook 365, 2024, 2021, 2019 and older versions), carry out these steps:
- On the left pane, right-click the folder you want to share (e.g. Inbox or a custom folder) and select Properties.
- In the Properties dialog window, go to the Permissions tab and click Add to give access to a new user.
- In the Global Address List, select the user, click Add, and then OK.
- Make sure the right user is selected in the box at the top. Then, in the Permission Level dropdown menu, choose the appropriate option and click OK to save changes.
Once shared, the folder will automatically appear in the invitee's Outlook if your admin has enabled automapping for shared folders. Otherwise, the recipient will need to manually add the folder to their Outlook to access it.
Tip. Working in a team? You can share not just email folders but also email templates! For a tool that works across all Outlook versions (classic, new, and web) and platforms (Windows and MacOS), try Shared Email Templates — a handy solution for your email collaboration.
How to share a folder in new Outlook and web
To share email folders with another user in the new Outlook and Outlook on the web, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the folder you wish to share and choose Sharing and permissions.
- In the Permissions window, click the plus button in the upper-left corner to add a new person. If the person is already on the list, select their name.
- In the Add permissions box, type the name or email address of the person you want to share with. Select the correct user from the list of matches, then click Add.
- With the name of the right person highlighted at the top of the Permissions dialog window, select the desired permission level from the dropdown list. The options range from Owner with all the rights, to Reviewer or Contributor with the minimum rights. If needed, you can manually adjust the permissions by checking or unchecking the boxes to customize the access level.
- Click OK to save the sharing settings and close the window.
The shared folder is now ready to be accessed by the specified user based on the permissions you set.
Note. For the invitee to be able to open a shared folder in their Outlook, you must also give them folder visible permissions.
Permission levels for Outlook shared folders
Microsoft Outlook offers a range of permission levels to control access to shared folders:
- Owner – full control, including the ability to rename and delete the folder.
- Publishing Editor – can read, create, edit, and delete all items, including subfolders.
- Editor – same as Publishing editor but cannot create subfolders.
- Publishing Author – Can read all items, create new items and subfolders, as well as edit and delete their own items.
- Author – same as Publishing author but cannot create subfolders.
- Non-editing Author – can read, create, and delete their own items but cannot edit them.
- Reviewer – can only read items.
- Contributor – can only create items.
- None – no permissions.
After selecting the access level, you can adjust options for the Read, Write, Delete items and Other permissions. Once you make any changes, the user's permission level will change to Custom.
Set folder visible permissions for your email account
The steps for granting permissions to view shared folders are similar in classic (old) Outlook and the new app, with only minor differences in the user interface. Below are detailed instructions for both versions.
Note. Without this setup, the recipients won't be able to expand shared folders and may encounter various errors.
- Access mailbox permissions. On the left pane, right-click your mailbox (work or school email account) and choose either:
- Folder Permissions in classic Outlook 365 - 2016:
- Sharing and permissions in the new Outlook app:
- Folder Permissions in classic Outlook 365 - 2016:
- Add user. In the new window that opens, choose the colleague to whom you want to grant access to your shared folders:
- In classic Outlook, switch to the Permissions tab, click Add, and then select from the Global Address List.
- In the new Outlook, click the plus sign (Add permission) button, type the invitee's name or email address in the search box, and then select it from the list of matches.
- In classic Outlook, switch to the Permissions tab, click Add, and then select from the Global Address List.
- With the invitee's name highlighted at the top of the Permissions dialog, check the Folder visible option under the Other section, and click OK.
- In the classic Outlook, the dialog looks like this:
- And this is the same Folder Visible option in the new Outlook:
- In the classic Outlook, the dialog looks like this:
Done! You've granted limited permissions to your mailbox, allowing the recipient to view shared folders in their Outlook.
How to share an Outlook subfolder
If you want to share a specific subfolder without giving access to the parent folder, you'll still need to give Folder visible permission for the parent folder. Without this step, Outlook won't display the subfolder to the user.
Step 1. Set Folder Visible permissions for the parent folder
Perform the folder sharing steps for your Outlook version (described earlier in this guide) and select Folder visible under the Other section, leaving all other options unchecked.
Step 2. Share a subfolder
Now, share the subfolder just like a top-level folder, specifying the appropriate permission level.
That's it! Once both steps are completed, the user will have access to the shared subfolder without seeing the contents of the parent folder.
How to add a shared folder in Outlook 365 – 2016
In case the auto-mapping feature is enabled for your Microsoft 365 account by your organization's admin, shared folders will automatically appear in your Outlook folder list. However, it may take a few hours to sync and require restarting Outlook.
If auto-mapping is disabled, then you can add a shared folder to your Outlook manually by following these steps:
- In the classic desktop Outlook application, go to File > Info > Account Settings, and then select Account Settings from the dropdown.
- In the Account Settings window, select your target work or school email account and click Change.
- In the Change Account window, click More Settings.
- In the dialog window that pops up, go to the Advanced tab and click Add.
- Type in the name or email address of the person who shared the folder with you and click OK.
- If entered correctly, the folder owner's name will appear in the Open these additional mailboxes box. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.
- Click Next, then Finish, and finally Close to save all changes and exit the settings.
The shared folder will be added to your Outlook under the list of your own folders. If it doesn't appear right away, restart Outlook to ensure the changes are applied.
How to access a shared folder in new Outlook and web
If a shared folder doesn't automatically appear in the new Outlook or web app, you can manually add it by performing these steps:
- Access the adding shared folder option. Depending on your Outlook version, do one of these:
- In the new Outlook, right-click your account name or click three-dots (ellipsis) next to it, then click Add shared folder or mailbox. If you already have any shared folders listed, you can right-click the Shared with me node and select the same option.
- In Outlook on the web, right-click Folders in the left pane, and then choose Add shared folder or mailbox from the context menu.
- In the new Outlook, right-click your account name or click three-dots (ellipsis) next to it, then click Add shared folder or mailbox. If you already have any shared folders listed, you can right-click the Shared with me node and select the same option.
- Add a shared folder. In the dialog box that pops up, enter the email address or name of the person who shared a folder with you and click Add.
In the new Outlook, the owner's email account will appear under the Shared with me section in your folder pane. Expand it to view all folders shared with you.
In Outlook on the web, shared folders will be added underneath your own folders.
How to stop sharing a folder in Outlook
To stop sharing a folder in Outlook, you need to revoke the sharing permissions. Here's how that can be done.
Unsure a folder in classic Outlook
To stop sharing a certain folder in the classic Outlook application, this is what you need to do:
- Right-click the folder you are sharing and click Properties.
- In the Properties dialog box, go to the Permissions tab.
- Select the person you're sharing with and click the Remove button.
Revoke sharing permissions in new Outlook and web
To stop folder sharing in the new Outlook and web app, the steps are:
- Right-click the folder and choose Sharing and permissions.
- In the Permissions dialog box, click the recipient name.
- Click the Delete permission (trash bin) icon to remove their access.
Once permissions are deleted, the folder will no longer be visible in another user's Outlook, and the person will no longer be able to access it.
How to remove shared folder from Outlook
To stop seeing a folder that has been shared with you, you can remove it easily in the new Outlook or web app.
- In the folder pane, right-click the email account of the folder owner.
- Choose Remove shared folder in the context menu.
In classic (old) Outlook, removing a shared folder is a little more complicated, as there is no Remove option in the context menu. Instead, follow these steps:
- Navigate to File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings…
- Choose the email account with which the folder was shared, then click Change.
- In the Change Account window, click More Settings.
- In the dialog window that opens, go to the Advanced tab, select the owner's name and click Remove.
Note. In any Outlook version, it's not possible to remove an individual shared folder - you can only remove the entire account of the person who shared one or more folders with you.
How to rename an Outlook shared folder
In the new Outlook and web, invitees can rename shared folders if their permission level allows it (currently, the Owner level is required). Simply right-click the folder and choose Rename from the context menu. Keep in mind that updates may take time and are typically faster in the web version.
In classic Outlook, the Rename option is not available for shared folders.
Sharing Outlook folders – useful tips
Here are some useful tips to help you make the most of the folder sharing feature in Outlook:
- Shared folder vs. shared mailbox. This article focuses on sharing specific folders. If you're looking to set up a mailbox that multiple users can access and use, refer to Add and use a shared mailbox in Outlook.
- Delegate access. When others respond to messages in a shared folder, their replies will appear as if they are coming from the invitee's email account. To allow colleagues to respond on your behalf, grant them Delegate Access permissions.
- Account requirements. Sharing folders can only be done using work or school accounts included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions or hosted by Exchange Online.
- Sharing Outlook contacts and tasks. You can share your Outlook contacts and task folders using the same steps as sharing email folders.
Outlook shared folder not working
These troubleshooting techniques will help you resolve common issues with shared folders in Outlook. If the problem persists, consider reaching out to your IT department for further assistance.
Outlook shared folder not showing
Possible cause: If a shared folder is not visible in your Outlook, auto-mapping may not be enabled by your admin.
Solution: You can add the shared folder manually. Here are the instructions for Outlook 365 – 2016 and for the new Outlook and web.
Cannot expand / open /display a shared folder in Outlook
Possible cause: The folder owner hasn't granted you the necessary permissions for the folder or for their email account.
Error messages: When trying to open a shared folder without having the required permissions, you may get the following error messages.
Classic Outlook throws the "Cannot expand the folder" error:
The new Outlook or web app may not be able to complete your request because "You might not have permission to perform this action".
Sometimes, Outlook may not display an error pop-up. Instead, you'll see this in the reading pane: "Cannot display the folder. Microsoft Outlook cannot access the folder location."
Solution: Ensure the folder owner has provided at least folder visible permission both for their mailbox and the shared folder itself.
Outlook shared folder not updating / not syncing
Possible causes:
- Outlook may not have synced with the server due to a connection problem or another issue.
- The shared folder may contain too many items, causing slow updates.
Solutions:
- Check your internet connection. A stable connection is necessary to sync changes with the server.
- Sync manually. Force Outlook to update its folders by clicking Send/Receive.
- Restart. End all Outlook processes, then reopen the app to refresh the folders.
- Update Outlook. Ensure that your desktop version is up to date. For Outlook on the web, refresh the page or log out and log back in.
- Clear Outlook cache to remove outdated local data to force a fresh sync with the server.
- Open Outlook in safe mode to run it with minimal features and identify if any add-ins are causing syncing issues.
With the steps and tips in this guide, you can share, access, and manage Outlook folders efficiently. If any issues arise, check the troubleshooting section to get things back on track 😊
