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Can an Unlicensed Microsoft 365 User Use an Email Address?
Question details
The user wants to know if a Microsoft 365 user account without an active license can access and use an assigned email address.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating a new user and email address in the Microsoft 365 admin center without assigning a paid license.
- Observed behavior
- The user is unable to sign in to Outlook on the web or send and receive emails because an Exchange Online license is missing.
Ensure you have global admin or billing admin privileges in the Microsoft 365 admin center before attempting to change user licenses or configure shared mailboxes.
Assign an Exchange Online License to the User
The standard way for a user to access their own mailbox and sign in to Outlook is by assigning them a valid Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online license.
Without an active license, a standard user account cannot access webmail or desktop email clients. Assigning an eligible license provisions the mailbox and enables normal sign-in capabilities.
Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and log in with your administrator credentials.
In the left-hand navigation menu, select 'Users' and then click on 'Active users'.
Find and click on the unlicensed user account that needs email access.
In the user pane, go to the 'Licenses and apps' tab, check the box for an Exchange Online or eligible Microsoft 365 license, and click 'Save changes'.
Convert or Create a Shared Mailbox
If you do not want to purchase a new license but still need the email address to be active, you can utilize a shared mailbox managed by licensed users.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can an unlicensed user log in to Outlook on the web?
No. An unlicensed Microsoft 365 user cannot sign in to Outlook on the web or use any Microsoft 365 applications directly. They must be assigned a license that includes Exchange Online to authenticate.
Do shared mailboxes require a paid Microsoft 365 license?
Generally, shared mailboxes with a capacity of up to 50 GB do not require a separate license. However, every user who accesses the shared mailbox must have their own valid Microsoft 365 license.
How do I access a shared mailbox?
A licensed user with delegated 'Read and manage' or 'Send as' permissions can open the shared mailbox within their own Outlook desktop client or by adding a shared folder in Outlook on the web.
Can I forward emails from an unlicensed user account?
Mail forwarding requires an active, provisioned mailbox. If the user account is unlicensed, the mailbox is typically disabled or deleted, meaning email forwarding will not work unless the address is converted to a shared mailbox or a mail contact.
