How to delegate your Outlook calendar and mailbox to someone else
Give an assistant or colleague delegate access to your Outlook inbox and calendar, then see how they open your mailbox, send email from your address and manage your calendar in the Outlook desktop app and Outlook on the web.
By Nur Islam- 4:49 video
- 6 steps
- 12.3K views
Jump to a step (6)
Executives and busy owners often need someone else to handle scheduling and email. Sharing a password is risky, and forwarding everything by hand means requests get missed.
Delegate access lets you choose exactly what another person in your organization can do: Editor on your calendar so they can create and change meetings, Editor on your inbox so they can manage and send email, and nothing on tasks, contacts or notes.
The first part of the video is done by the account owner in the classic Outlook desktop app. The rest is what the delegate does to open the mailbox, send email and work in the calendar, on desktop and on the web.
What you need
- Microsoft 365 business accounts for both people in the same organization
- The Outlook desktop app (classic Outlook) to grant delegate access
- Outlook desktop or Outlook on the web for the delegate
Step by step
0 of 6 done-
01
Open Delegate Access
As the account owner, click File, then Account Settings, then Delegate Access. Click Add, select the person you want to give access to, click Add and then OK.
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02
Set the delegate permissions
In the permissions window:
- Calendar:
Editor, so they can create and manage events. Keep the option on that sends them copies of meeting-related messages - Tasks:
None - Inbox:
Editor, so they can manage your email and send on your behalf - Contacts and Notes:
None
Tick the option that automatically sends the delegate a message summarizing these permissions. Click OK, then OK again, and wait a moment while Outlook saves the settings.
- Calendar:
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03
Open the delegated mailbox on desktop
As the delegate, you receive an email with the permission details. In Outlook, click File, then Open & Export, then Other User's Folder. Click Name, select the person who gave you access and click OK. Choose
Inboxas the folder type and click OK. Their emails open in a new window. -
04
Send email from the delegated account
Create a new email. On the Options tab, click From to show the From field. Click the From button, choose Other E-mail Address, click From again and pick the owner's mailbox. Click OK twice.
The address is remembered, so in future emails you can switch between your address and theirs from the From menu. The recipient sees the email as coming from the owner's account.
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05
Add the delegated calendar
Go to Calendar. Right-click Shared Calendars, choose Add Calendar, then From Address Book. Select the owner, click Calendar and then OK. Their calendar appears next to yours. With Editor rights you can create, edit or delete events, and the owner sees them right away.
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06
Access the delegated account in Outlook on the web
For email, right-click Folders, select Add shared folder or mailbox, choose the owner and click Add. Their mailbox appears in your folder list.
For the calendar, open Calendar, click Show all, and look under People's calendars. Because the calendar was already added in the desktop app, it shows up here with the same events.
Tips and common problems
- Give Editor on the calendar if the delegate needs to create or change meetings. Lower roles such as Reviewer only let them read.
- Tick the option to notify the delegate so they get an email listing exactly what they can access.
- The From field is hidden in new emails until you turn it on from the Options tab.
- Set permissions you do not need, such as Tasks, Contacts and Notes, to
None. - If you only want to share your calendar without mailbox access, see this video instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JyLQo-kK1Y
Questions
How do I give someone access to my Outlook calendar and email?
In the Outlook desktop app, go to File, Account Settings, Delegate Access, click Add, pick the person and set their permissions for Calendar and Inbox, for example Editor.
How does a delegate open someone else's mailbox in Outlook?
On desktop, go to File, Open & Export, Other User's Folder, and pick the person. In Outlook on the web, right-click Folders and choose Add shared folder or mailbox.
Can a delegate send emails from my address?
Yes, with Editor access to your Inbox. They turn on the From field in a new email and choose your mailbox under Other E-mail Address.
