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Office 365 (Outlook on the web | Outlook 2016 | Outlook 2013) - Manage permissions to an email folder
There are times when you need to provide permissions to an email folder to a colleague. If you are looking to grant permissions to your whole account, use these instructions instead: Microsoft 365 - Manage Full Mailbox, Send As, and Send on Behalf of Permissions. For a complete list of email permissions in Office 365, please see Office 365 - Mail and Calendar folder permission levels.
Note: Managing permissions on a mobile device cannot be performed. Use the "Outlook on the web" instructions below to manage your permissions.
When assigning permissions, you have the option to grant many different levels (read/create/modify/owner/delete). Expand the section below for further details:
- Permission Levels
The following image displays the different types of permissions available:
Note: The image used above is from Outlook on the web but the same permissions exists for Outlook.
Review Microsoft 365 - Mail and Calendar folder permission levels for definition of each permission level.
To add/modify/remove permissions using Outlook on the web, expand the section below:
- Manage permissions using Outlook on the web
In the example below, Bucky is managing permissions to his "Air_Gun" folder.
Add/modify permissions
- Log into Office 365 account via Outlook on the web.
- Open the app launcher tool in the top left of your Outlook on the web window as shown below.
- Select Outlook from the list of available apps.
- Right-click on your top level mailbox folder (Bucky Badger) [denoted by a "1" in the image]:
- Select Permissions... from the drop-down menu.
- Click the + icon in the top left of the permissions menu.
- Enter the email address of the person you want to give permissions to and click Add.
- Select their name from the list, and place a check mark within the 'Folder visible' box and click OK.
- Since "Air_Gun" folder is a sub-folder of "Bucky_Bash" folder, 'Folder visible' permissions must be granted to "Bucky_Bash" folder. Repeat steps 3-7 for "Bucky_Bash" folder [denoted by a "2" in the image].
- Lastly, assign the required permissions to the "Air_Gun" folder [denoted by a "3" in the image]. Right-click on the "Air_Gun" folder and select Permissions... from the drop-down menu.
- Click the + icon in the top left of the permissions menu.
- Enter the email address of the person you want to give permissions to and click Add.
- Select their name from the list, and choose the desired permission level from the "Permission level" select box. Note: When you select a permission level, the appropriate permissions are assigned (checked) below this selection.
- Click OK.
- Notify the person you granted permissions to that they now have access to the specific folder(s)
Remove permissions
- Log into Office 365 account via Outlook on the web.
- Open the app launcher tool in the top left of your Outlook on the web window as shown below.
- Select Outlook from the list of available apps.
- To remove the permissions from the "Air_Gun" folder [denoted by a "3" in the image], right-click on the "Air_Gun" folder and select Permissions... from the drop-down menu.
- Select their name from the list and click the TRASH icon located in the top left of the menu.
- Click OK.
To add/modify/remove permissions using Outlook 2016/2013 for Windows, expand the section below:
- Manage permissions using Outlook 2016/2013 for Windows
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Add/modify permissions
- Start Outlook.
- Go to "Mail".
- Right-click on your top level mailbox folder (your name):
- Select Folder Permissions from the drop-down menu.
- Make sure you are on the 'Permissions' tab.
- Click the Add button.
- Make sure you are searching against the "Global Address List", enter the name or fully qualified email address of the individual and click Go.
- Select their name from the list and click the Add button.
- Click OK.
- On the properties screen, make sure their name is selected, then place a check mark within the "Folder visible" box and click OK.
- If the folder you are granting permissions to is a sub-folder of another folder, you must grant "Folder visible" permissions to each folder for this user - do this by repeating the steps 3-10 for each sub-folder.
- Next, right-click on the desired folder you wish to provide permissions for from the folder list and select Properties... from the drop-down menu.
- Click 'Permissions' tab.
- Click the Add button.
- Make sure you are searching against the "Global Address List", enter the name or fully qualified email address of the individual and click Go.
- Select their name from the list and click the Add button.
- Click OK.
- Select their name from the list, and choose the desired permission level from the "Permission level" select box. Note: When you select a permission level, the appropriate permissions are assigned (checked) below this selection.
- Click OK.
- Notify the person you granted permissions to that they now have access to the specific folder(s)
Remove permissions
- Start Outlook.
- Go to "Mail".
- Right-click on the specific folder you wish to remove the individual's permissions from, and select Properties... from the drop-down menu.
- Click 'Permissions' tab.
- Select their name from the list and click the Remove button.
- Click OK.
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To add/modify/remove permissions using Outlook 2016 for Mac, expand the section below:
- Manage permissions using Outlook 2016 for Mac
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Add/modify permissions
- Start Outlook.
- Go to "Mail".
- Right-Click the mailbox folder you wish to share.
- Select Sharing Permissions... from the drop-down menu.
- Ensure you are on the permissions tab.
- Click the Add User...
- In the search bar type the users' email address and select their name once it appears.
- Click the Add button.
- From within the "Folder Properties" screen, make sure the user is selected and assign folder visible permissions.
- Click OK when finished.
- If the folder you are granting permissions to is a sub-folder of another folder, you must grant "Folder visible" permissions to each folder for this user - do this by repeating the steps 3-10 for each sub-folder.
- Right-Click the desired folder or sub-folder you wish to be shared and choose Sharing Permissions... from the sub-menu.
- In the Folder Properties > Permissions window:
- Click Add User...
- In the search bar type the users' email address and select their name once it appears.
- From within the "Folder Properties" screen, make sure the user is selected and assign the desired permissions.
- Click OK when finished.
- Notify the person you granted permissions so that they now have access to the specific folder.
Remove permissions
- Start Outlook.
- Go to "Mail".
- Right-click on the specific folder you wish to remove the individual's permissions from, and select Properties... from the drop-down menu.
- Click 'Permissions' tab.
- Select their name from the list and click the Remove button.
- Click OK.
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