Send & Receive Issues

How to Fix Send As Permission for a Microsoft 365 Group

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users are unable to send emails from a Microsoft 365 group address despite having Send As and Send on Behalf permissions properly assigned by the administrator.

Product: Microsoft 365 / Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to send an email acting as a Microsoft 365 group from within the Outlook client.
Observed behavior: Outlook prevents the message from being sent or throws a permission error when the user selects the Microsoft 365 group address in the From field.

Before you start

Verify with your Microsoft 365 administrator that the 'Send As' or 'Send on Behalf' permissions were successfully applied to your specific user account for the target group in the Exchange Admin Center.

Solution 1Recommended

Allow Time for Permission Propagation and Test via Outlook on the Web

Delegation changes in Microsoft 365 experience a propagation delay and require waiting before the permissions become fully active.

Changes to delegation permissions for Microsoft 365 groups do not apply instantaneously. It takes significant time for backend server replication to complete across the Exchange network.

Wait for replication

Allow approximately 12 to 24 hours after the 'Send As' permission is granted in the Microsoft 365 admin center for the changes to fully propagate.

Open Outlook on the web

Log in to Outlook on the web (OWA) using your browser to bypass any local caching issues present in the desktop Outlook app.

Compose a new message

Click on the 'New message' button at the top left corner of the screen to start composing an email.

Reveal the From field

If the 'From' field is not visible, navigate to the Options tab in the composition window and select 'Show From'.

Select the group address

Click on the 'From' dropdown, choose 'Other email address', type the Microsoft 365 group address, and send a test email.

Standard Propagation Time: If the email fails to send immediately after the admin assigns the role, wait the full 12 hours before troubleshooting further, as this propagation delay is standard for Microsoft 365 groups.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Send As permission not working immediately in Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 operates on a globally distributed server network. When an administrator grants Send As or Send on Behalf permissions, the changes must replicate across all backend Exchange servers, which commonly causes a standard delay of approximately 12 to 24 hours.

What is the difference between Send As and Send on Behalf in Outlook?

Send As allows a user to send an email that appears exactly as if it came directly from the group address itself. Send on Behalf displays to the recipient that the email was sent by the specific user on behalf of the group.

Can I force the Microsoft 365 permissions to update faster?

You cannot force the backend server replication to speed up. However, downloading the Offline Address Book (OAB) manually in the desktop app or testing via Outlook on the web can help you bypass local client caching delays.

How do I check if the Microsoft 365 group permission has finally applied?

The most reliable method is logging into Outlook on the web, revealing the 'From' field in a new message, typing the group address, and successfully sending an email without receiving a bounce-back or permission error.

Outlook & Email Problems