Send & Receive Issues

How to Change the Sender of SharePoint List Rule Emails

Anum Mushtaq Oct 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need to modify the sender email address for automated SharePoint list rules, as notifications are defaulting to the rule creator's personal email instead of a generic system address.

How to Change the Sender of SharePoint List Rule Emails

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing automated email notifications triggered by SharePoint list rules.
Observed behavior: Automated list rule emails are sent from the rule author's or last modifier's email address rather than SharePoint Online, causing automated messages to clutter the user's personal Sent Items folder.

Before you start

Verify your current permissions in the SharePoint list to ensure you have the necessary rights to view, edit, or recreate existing automated rules.

Solution 1Recommended

Assign List Rules to a Dedicated Service Account

Transfer the ownership of the list rules to a dedicated service or system account so notifications are sent from a generic address instead of a personal one.

Because Microsoft updated SharePoint's behavior to send notification emails from the address of the person who last modified the rule, you cannot natively select a generic 'SharePoint Online' sender address within basic list rules.

The most straightforward workaround is to use a dedicated service account to edit or recreate the rules. This ensures the service account becomes the 'last modifier', and all subsequent emails will be sent from that generic account's address.

Log in with a Service Account

Sign out of your personal Microsoft 365 account and log back in to SharePoint Online using the credentials of a dedicated service or shared account.

Navigate to the SharePoint List

Open the specific SharePoint list where the automated notification rules are currently configured.

Access the Rules Menu

Click on 'Automate' in the top command bar, select 'Rules', and then click 'Manage rules'.

Modify or Recreate the Rules

Edit the existing rules or delete and recreate them using the service account. This registers the service account as the last modifier.

Assign List Rules to a Dedicated Service Account

Microsoft Policy Update: Microsoft's official documentation states that notification emails are sent from the email address of the person who last modified the rule. This behavior is controlled by Microsoft and cannot be bypassed without using an alternative account or Power Automate.

Solution 2

Recreate the Workflow using Power Automate

Use Power Automate instead of basic SharePoint list rules to gain advanced control over the 'From' email address in your automated workflows.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do SharePoint list rule emails appear in my Outlook Sent Items?

Microsoft updated SharePoint's notification system to send automated list emails from the address of the rule's author or the last person who modified it. Because they are sent from your actual Microsoft 365 email account, copies are automatically saved in your Outlook Sent Items folder.

Can I configure basic SharePoint list rules to send from SharePoint Online again?

No. Currently, Microsoft does not provide a built-in configuration option within basic SharePoint list rules to change the sender back to a generic SharePoint Online address. You must use workarounds like service accounts or Power Automate.

How can I prevent these automated emails from cluttering my personal Sent Items folder?

You can either transfer the rule ownership to a dedicated service account so the emails send from there, or you can create a local Outlook inbox rule to automatically move these specific automated messages from your Sent Items to a separate, less visible folder.

Outlook & Email Problems