---
title: "What Is a Shared Mailbox? How It Works in Outlook and Gmail"
description: "A shared mailbox lets a team read and send email from one address, like support@. See how it works in Microsoft 365 and Gmail, and where it falls short."
author: "Andrew Rivers"
url: https://www.keeping.com/content/what-is-a-shared-mailbox/
datePublished: 2026-10-07
---

# What Is a Shared Mailbox? How It Works in Outlook and Gmail

> **The short answer:** A shared mailbox is one email address, such as support@, that several people access through their own accounts to read and answer the same messages. Microsoft 365 offers a dedicated mailbox type, while Google Workspace uses delegation or its newer shared inbox. Sharing access gives your team a common address, but it does not automatically give each conversation an owner.

A shared mailbox is a single email address, such as support@ or info@, that several people access through their own accounts to read, answer and organize the same messages. Replies can come from the shared address rather than an individual’s address. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace provide different ways to do this.

The distinction matters when you’re choosing a home for your team’s email. Microsoft’s rules about free mailbox storage don’t automatically apply to Google. If your team uses Gmail, our [Gmail shared mailbox options](https://www.keeping.com/content/gmail-shared-mailbox/) guide covers the available approaches in more detail.

## How a shared mailbox works

A shared mailbox gives authorized teammates access to a common collection of messages. Instead of forwarding a customer email to three people and hoping someone answers, you give those people access to the mailbox where it arrived. They can review the conversation before replying.

Think of a two-person reception team handling info@. One person answers a visitor’s question in the morning; the other can pick up the conversation after lunch. The customer keeps writing to the same address, even when the person on duty changes.

Access should use each person’s account, not a password passed around the team. In Microsoft 365, direct sign-in to the shared account should stay blocked. Google delegates also use their own accounts for everyday access, although the underlying Google account has its own settings and credentials.

The sender your customer sees depends on permissions and settings. A reply may show only the shared address, or also identify the teammate who sent it. Check that behavior before sending your first customer reply.

## What a shared mailbox is used for

A team shared mailbox suits an address that belongs to a function rather than one employee:

- **support@:** Customer questions that several agents can answer.
- **info@:** General inquiries that need someone on duty.
- **sales@:** New inquiries that should remain accessible during holidays.
- **billing@:** Invoice questions and payment follow-up.
- **hr@:** Employee requests, with access restricted to the appropriate people.
- **Reception:** Visitor arrangements and office correspondence across shifts.

The address stays consistent when someone leaves or changes roles. Your administrator changes who can access it; customers don’t need to learn a replacement employee’s email address.

## Shared mailbox vs regular mailbox

A regular user mailbox primarily serves one person’s correspondence. A shared mailbox serves a team address, with access granted to multiple people. A user mailbox can also be delegated, especially in Gmail, so the useful question is who needs access and how you control it.

| Question | Regular user mailbox | Shared mailbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How do you sign in? | Through the owner’s account | Teammates use their own accounts and granted access |
| Who reads the messages? | Usually the owner, plus any delegates | The authorized team |
| What sender appears? | Usually the individual’s address | The shared address, sometimes with the sender identified |
| Does it need a license? | Business user accounts generally do | Depends on platform and features; see below |
| Who can delete messages? | The owner and authorized delegates | People with the relevant mailbox access |

Sharing a mailbox does not make every message appropriate for every employee. A payroll address and a general information address need different membership, even if both are shared.

## What is a shared mailbox in Outlook and Microsoft 365?

In Microsoft 365, a shared mailbox is a dedicated mailbox type that your administrator creates for a team to use in Outlook. It includes a shared calendar and supports contacts, so a reception team can coordinate appointments as well as email.

Microsoft separates opening the mailbox from sending through it. Its [shared-mailbox permissions guide](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/email/create-a-shared-mailbox?view=o365-worldwide) distinguishes three permissions:

- **Full Access:** Open and manage the mailbox’s messages and other items.
- **Send As:** Send with the shared mailbox as the visible sender.
- **Send on Behalf:** Identify the person sending on the mailbox’s behalf.

Full Access alone does not grant either sending permission. If someone can read support@ but cannot reply from it, the administrator should check those permissions.

As of October 2026, Microsoft states that a shared mailbox supports a **maximum of 25 users**. That is its stated limit, not a recommendation for 25 simultaneous users. Microsoft also says sign-in should remain blocked and users must belong to the organization. See its [shared-mailbox limits](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/email/about-shared-mailboxes?view=o365-worldwide).

For the Outlook-specific instructions, follow Microsoft’s guide to [opening and using a shared mailbox](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/sharing/open-and-use-a-shared-mailbox-in-outlook).

## Does a shared mailbox need a license?

A Microsoft 365 shared mailbox normally needs no separate license up to 50 GB, but everyone accessing it needs a licensed Exchange Online mailbox. Google does not publish a price on its shared-inbox help page. Treat licensing as platform-specific, and confirm the requirements with your administrator before creating the address.

As of October 2026, Microsoft’s [licensing rules](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/email/about-shared-mailboxes?view=o365-worldwide) require Plan 2 for a 100 GB mailbox. Archive expansion and litigation hold can use Plan 2 or Plan 1 with the Exchange Online Archiving add-on. Additional features may have their own requirements.

For Google, an [administrator’s October 2025 report in the GAM community](https://groups.google.com/g/google-apps-manager/c/f61ES_cWXrc) says the address uses a paid Workspace seat. That is an admin report, not Google’s published pricing policy. Confirm with your admin rather than budgeting on Microsoft’s free-mailbox rule.

## Shared mailboxes in Gmail and Google Workspace

Yes, Gmail supports shared mailbox access through delegation, and Google Workspace offers a newer administrator-created shared inbox based on that model. You can also use Google Groups for a team address. The main difference is where people work and whether you need to assign individual conversations.

**Google’s shared inbox.** As of October 2026, Google’s [shared-inbox documentation](https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/users/create-a-shared-inbox) lists Business Starter, Standard and Plus, with availability rolling out in phases. Delegates can manage messages and contacts. Replies show the shared From address and a Sent by identity, which can be hidden. The documented workflow does not include conversation assignment.

**Gmail delegation.** The existing [Gmail delegation](https://www.keeping.com/content/gmail-delegation/) approach grants access to another account’s mail. Google’s [delegate limits](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/138350?hl=en) are 10 for personal Gmail and 1,000 for work or school accounts, with about 40 accessing an account simultaneously under typical use. Work accounts delegate within the organization.

**Google Groups Collaborative Inbox.** This option does support [taking and assigning conversations](https://support.google.com/groups/answer/2467048?hl=en), plus marking them complete, in the Groups interface. Our [Google Groups Collaborative Inbox guide](https://www.keeping.com/content/google-groups-collaborative-inbox/) explains that workflow.

Here is the platform comparison as of October 2026, using the Microsoft and Google documentation linked above:

| Detail | Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mailbox model | Dedicated shared-mailbox type | Shared inbox built on delegation; Groups is a separate option |
| License | Normally none for mailbox up to 50 GB; licensed users required | Shared-inbox price not stated in Google’s help page; confirm seat requirements |
| User limit | Maximum 25 | Work-account delegation: 1,000 delegates, about 40 simultaneous in typical use |
| Sender display | Send As or Send on Behalf | Shared From address; Sent by can be hidden |
| Conversation assignment | Not part of the basic mailbox | Groups offers assignment; the delegated-inbox workflow does not |

For a team choosing its next step, compare the [Gmail shared mailbox options](https://www.keeping.com/content/gmail-shared-mailbox/). If you only need another address for one person, the distinction between an [alias, group and shared mailbox](https://www.keeping.com/content/google-workspace-email-alias/) can save you unnecessary setup.

## Disadvantages of a shared mailbox

The main limitation is responsibility: access to a message does not tell you who is handling it. Two people can start writing while a third assumes someone else has replied. A mailbox can preserve the correspondence without giving you an owner, internal discussion or response-time report for each request.

Deletion is another concern. Delegates can remove messages, so agree on what your team should keep. Microsoft documents that you cannot prevent shared-mailbox users from deleting messages. It also documents encryption limitations for mail sent from the shared mailbox. Ask your administrator about those requirements before choosing it for sensitive correspondence.

If support@ already runs through Gmail, Keeping adds [shared mailbox management inside Gmail](https://www.keeping.com/solutions/shared-inbox/): assignment, status, internal notes and collision detection to help teammates avoid overlapping replies.

![Keeping’s Gmail sidebar shows an open customer conversation with assignment, priority, status and notes controls.](https://www.keeping.com/_astro/keeping-gmail.ZKD-bNjy_Z29YhK4.webp)

Screenshot from Keeping’s [Using Keeping in Gmail guide](https://docs.keeping.com/help/getting-started/using-keeping-in-gmail). The sidebar puts the conversation’s owner and status beside the email.

Compare [Keeping’s plans](https://www.keeping.com/pricing/) and try it free for 14 days, with no credit card required.

## Shared mailbox vs distribution list vs shared inbox

A distribution list delivers messages to its members, while a shared mailbox gives people access to a common mailbox; see [switching from a distribution group to a shared mailbox](https://www.keeping.com/content/distribution-group-shared-mailbox/) if forwarding copies no longer suits your team.

“Shared inbox” can also describe software that adds ownership and collaboration around a team address: [what a shared inbox adds](https://www.keeping.com/content/shared-inbox/) depends on the product, so look beyond the name to how your team will handle each message.

## Frequently asked questions about shared mailboxes

### Does a shared mailbox need a license?

Microsoft 365 normally allows 50 GB without a separate mailbox license, but users need licensed accounts and some storage, archiving and hold features require additional licensing. Google does not publish a price on its shared-inbox help page. An admin report says it uses a paid Workspace seat, so confirm with your admin.

### What are the disadvantages of using a shared mailbox?

A plain shared mailbox gives people access without assigning responsibility for each message. That can lead to missed requests or duplicate replies, while internal notes and response-time reporting require another workflow or tool. Deletion also affects the shared mailbox, so teammates need to agree on what they can remove.

### How do I access a shared mailbox?

Your administrator or account owner grants access to your own account. You then open the shared mailbox through Outlook or the delegated account in Gmail, rather than asking a teammate for a shared password.

### How do I create a shared mailbox?

Ask your administrator to create the shared address and grant access to the people who will answer it. Microsoft 365 has a dedicated shared-mailbox option, while Google Workspace offers a shared-inbox option where available, or delegated Gmail accounts.

### Does Gmail have shared mailboxes?

Gmail supports shared access through delegation, and Google Workspace offers an administrator-created shared inbox built on delegation. Google Groups Collaborative Inbox is another option, with conversation assignment in Google Groups.