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How to Set Different Permissions for Users of a Shared Mailbox
Question details
The user needs to configure a shared mailbox for five users, granting one user full access while giving the other four read and send permissions without the ability to delete messages.
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Configuring distinct access levels and restricting email deletion for specific members of a shared mailbox team.
- Observed behavior
- Standard Exchange mailbox delegation offers Full Access and Send As permissions, but lacks a simple native 'read-without-delete' permission level.
Ensure you have Exchange Administrator or Global Administrator privileges in your Microsoft 365 tenant before attempting to modify mailbox delegation settings.
Configure Mailbox Delegation in Exchange Admin Center
Use the Exchange Admin Center to grant Full Access to the primary user and Send As permissions to the other users.
You can easily assign standard permissions like Full Access and Send As through the Exchange admin center. However, be aware that Exchange Online does not natively provide a simple standard 'read-without-delete' permission for shared mailboxes.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center and navigate to the Exchange admin center.
Go to 'Recipients' in the left menu, select 'Mailboxes', and click on the specific shared mailbox you want to configure.
In the mailbox properties pane, navigate to the 'Delegation' tab to manage permissions.
Under 'Full Access', click the edit button and add the single user who requires complete control over the mailbox.
Under 'Send As', add the remaining four users so they can send emails appearing to come from the shared address.
Implement Retention Policies for Data Protection
Since native read-without-delete isn't directly available, apply a retention policy to ensure deleted emails are recoverable.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I completely hide the delete button for certain users in an Outlook shared mailbox?
No, Microsoft Outlook and Exchange do not offer a native feature to hide or disable the delete button for specific users sharing a mailbox. Workarounds like Litigation Hold or Microsoft 365 Retention Policies are recommended to prevent permanent data loss.
What is the difference between 'Send As' and 'Send on Behalf' permissions?
'Send As' allows a user to send an email that appears to come directly from the shared mailbox address. 'Send on Behalf' will show the recipient that the email was sent by the specific user on behalf of the shared mailbox.
Do users need a separate license to access a shared mailbox?
No, a shared mailbox does not require its own license as long as it stays under the 50 GB storage limit and isn't used for archiving. However, every user accessing the shared mailbox must have their own valid Microsoft 365 license.
