License & Subscription Issues

How to Use Microsoft 365 Email Aliases and Shared Mailboxes Without Extra Licenses

Olivia Miller Oct 14, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if they need to purchase extra Microsoft 365 licenses to create multiple functional email addresses for a small business.

How to Use Microsoft 365 Email Aliases and Shared Mailboxes Without Extra Licenses

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up multiple business email addresses (like sales or info) for a small team while managing subscription costs.
Observed behavior: The business only has two licensed users but requires several additional email addresses that can send and receive messages separately.

Before you start

Ensure you have Microsoft 365 Global Administrator or Exchange Administrator privileges, as creating aliases and shared mailboxes requires access to the admin center.

Solution 1Recommended

Create Email Aliases for Existing Licensed Users

Add alternative email addresses to an existing user's account to receive mail without paying for a new license.

A single Microsoft 365 user can have up to 300 email aliases attached to their account. Emails sent to an alias are delivered directly to the user's primary inbox. To reply from an alias, specific sender permissions must be configured.

Access the Admin Center

Select the User

Click on the licensed user you want to add the alias to. A side panel will open with the user's details.

Manage Email Aliases

Under the 'Account' tab, click 'Manage username and email'. Type the new alias in the username field, select the appropriate domain, and click 'Add'.

Save Changes

Click 'Save changes'. The user will now receive emails sent to this new alias address directly in their primary inbox.

Create Email Aliases for Existing Licensed Users

Sending from an Alias: To send emails from the alias, you must enable 'Send from alias' in the Exchange admin center settings, and the user must select the alias from the 'From' drop-down menu in Outlook.

Solution 2

Set Up a Shared Mailbox

Use shared mailboxes for generic company addresses (e.g., info@ or sales@) that multiple people can access for free.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send emails from a Microsoft 365 alias?

Yes, but you must first enable the 'Send from alias' feature in the Exchange Admin Center settings. Once enabled, users can select the alias address from the 'From' drop-down menu when composing a message in Outlook.

Do Microsoft 365 shared mailboxes have a storage limit?

Yes, free shared mailboxes typically have a 50 GB storage limit. If the mailbox exceeds this limit, you will need to assign an Exchange Online Plan license to it to increase the storage capacity.

How many aliases can one Microsoft 365 user have?

A single licensed Microsoft 365 user can have up to 400 aliases, although 300 is often cited as the practical limit for standard configurations without performance degradation.

Can an employee log in directly to a shared mailbox?

No, a shared mailbox does not have its own username and password. Employees must sign in to their own licensed Microsoft 365 account and access the shared mailbox securely from their primary account.

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