How to Fix Incorrect Shared Mailbox Display Name in Outlook
Question details
The user needs to correct the display name shown to external recipients when sending an email as a delegate from a shared Microsoft 365 mailbox.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A delegate is sending emails from a shared Microsoft 365 mailbox to external domains (like Gmail), and the sender identity is displaying incorrectly.
- Observed behavior
- Recipients only see the raw mailbox name instead of the properly configured display name or alias associated with the shared mailbox.
Ensure you have administrative privileges for the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and Exchange Admin Center, as resolving this issue requires checking and modifying server-level mailbox settings.
Verify Display Name and Send As Permissions in Admin Center
Check the configured display name, default reply address, and delegate permissions in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center to ensure correct external formatting.
The display name shown to external recipients is controlled by the shared mailbox's profile configuration and the specific permissions granted to the delegate sending the email.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center using your administrator credentials.
Navigate to 'Teams & groups' in the left-hand menu, then select 'Shared mailboxes'. Find and click on the affected shared mailbox.
In the mailbox settings panel, verify that the 'Display name', 'Aliases', and 'Default reply address' are correctly configured.
Under the 'Mailbox permissions' section, click on 'Send as' permissions. Ensure the delegate's account is explicitly listed here.
Test Sending via Outlook on the Web
Use the web version of Outlook to bypass potential local desktop client caching issues and confirm if the server settings are correct.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does it take so long for the shared mailbox display name to update?
Changes made in the Microsoft 365 or Exchange Admin Centers must replicate across Microsoft's global server infrastructure and update the Offline Address Book (OAB). This synchronization process can take up to 48 hours to reflect for all external recipients.
Can I change the shared mailbox display name directly from my Outlook desktop app?
No, the display name and primary aliases for shared mailboxes are controlled at the Exchange server level. A Microsoft 365 administrator must make these changes through the Admin Center.
What is the difference between 'Send As' and 'Send on Behalf' permissions?
'Send As' allows a delegate to send an email that appears exactly as if it came directly from the shared mailbox. 'Send on Behalf' shows the recipient that the email was sent by a specific delegate on behalf of that mailbox (e.g., 'John Doe on behalf of Support').
What should I do if the display name is still incorrect after 48 hours?
If the issue persists beyond the 48-hour propagation window after verifying settings, administrators should create a service request ticket directly within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center under the Support tab to have Microsoft engineers investigate the backend sync.
