Send & Receive Issues

How to Change the Sender Address for an Outlook Mail Merge

Huma Ashraf Ch Sep 25, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to send mail merge messages from a specific email address rather than the primary Outlook account.

How to Change the Sender Address for an Outlook Mail Merge

Product: Microsoft Word and Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Executing a mail merge in Word and needing the emails to be dispatched from a secondary or alternative email account in Outlook.
Observed behavior: Mail merge messages are automatically sent from the default Outlook account instead of the user's desired sender address.

Before you start

Ensure that the email account you wish to use as the sender address is already added and fully synced in your Microsoft Outlook application.

Solution 1Recommended

Set the Desired Account as Default in Outlook Settings

Change the default email account in your system and configure Outlook to always use this default account when generating new mail merge messages.

Because Word automatically hands off mail merge messages to the default account configured in Outlook, you cannot select a sender address directly within the Word interface. The solution requires changing the default account at the system level and forcing Outlook to use it.

Access the Mail setup in Control Panel

Open the Windows Control Panel, change the view to 'Large icons' or 'Small icons', and click on 'Mail' or 'Mail (Microsoft Outlook)'.

Set the default Data File and Email

Click on 'Email Accounts'. In the Email tab, select the account you want to send from and click 'Set as Default'. Repeat this process in the 'Data Files' tab for the corresponding data file.

Configure Outlook options

Open the Microsoft Outlook desktop application. Go to 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Options', and then click on the 'Mail' tab in the left sidebar.

Force the default account for new messages

Scroll down to the 'Send messages' section. Check the box that says 'Always use the default account when composing new messages', then click 'OK' to save the changes.

Restart and execute mail merge

Completely close and restart Microsoft Outlook. Leave it open in the background, then return to Microsoft Word and run your mail merge again.

Set the Desired Account as Default in Outlook Settings

Account Selection: Once the mail merge is complete, you can safely revert these settings if you want to return to using your original primary email account.

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Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Creation and Mail Merges

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1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office Free from the official website and install it on your device.
2. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Writer and open the document you wish to use as your mail merge template.
3. Connect Data Source: Navigate to the 'Mailings' tab, click 'Open Data Source', and select your spreadsheet or address list.
4. Merge to Email: Insert your desired merge fields, click 'Merge to E-mail', and seamlessly dispatch your messages.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I choose the sender address directly within the Word mail merge wizard?

No, Microsoft Word automatically routes mail merge messages through the default email account configured in Outlook. You must change the default account in Outlook's settings before initiating the merge.

Why are my mail merge emails still sending from my old primary account?

This usually happens if you have not forced Outlook to respect the new default setting. Ensure you have checked the 'Always use the default account when composing new messages' option under File > Options > Mail in Outlook, and remember to restart the application.

Do I need to keep Outlook open during the mail merge?

Yes, it is highly recommended to have the Outlook desktop application open and running in the background while executing a mail merge from Word. This ensures the emails are successfully placed in the Outbox and dispatched.

Outlook & Email Problems