Resolve If Office 365 Shared Mailbox not Showing in Outlook

Let’s start this blog with the key reasons why this error takes place before approaching the solutions.

Key Reasons Behind Missing Shared Mailbox in Outlook

There are multiple instances available when users encounter the error Microsoft 365 Shared Mailbox Not Showing in Outlook” error. Some of the major ones are as follows:-

1. Usually, permissions and access settings are the reasons the shared mailbox does not appear in Outlook. It can occur when users lack the appropriate permissions.
2. Exchange Admin Center is typically where these permissions are managed by your Office 365 administrator.
3. Administrators of Office 365 typically manage these permissions in the Exchange Admin Center.
4. In the case of the shared mailbox, admins can configure auto-mapping, or users can manually add the mailbox if it doesn’t show up.
5. The version of Outlook in use can significantly affect the visibility of shared mailboxes.
6. Conflicts sometimes occur when Outlook’s Cached Exchange Mode stores a local copy of mailbox data.
7. Outlook profile corruption can be the reason. If you suspect this, creating a new Outlook profile frequently fixes the problem.

Proceeding further, we will look for the solutions available for the same.

Resolve Error Why Office 365 Shared Mailbox Not Showing in Outlook

Further, let’s discuss some of the solutions available to overcome such errors.

Solution 01: Examine for Auto-Mapping and Disable

The solution can take a little more time compared to others, but it is a helpful workaround. This problem often relates to the auto-mapping features in Outlook; through this, it automatically adds shared mailboxes to your account. However, as your mailbox data size grows, so does the size of your Outlook data file, and if it exceeds 50 GB, Outlook might face trouble handling the shared mailbox.

• Run Window PowerShell on your device, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
• Write the following command in the PowerShell Window:

$Credential = Get-Credential

• A prompt will show. Provide your Office 365 credentials.
• Now, along with this command connect to Exchange Online:

$ExchangeSession = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri “https://outlook.office365.com/powershell-liveid” -Credential $credential -Authentication “Basic” -AllowRedirection

• This command establishes a connection to Exchange Online.
• Utilize this command to import the Exchange session:

Import-PSSession $ExchangeSession

• To remove permissions for the shared mailbox, use the following command:

Remove-MailboxPermission -Identity complaint@domainname -User tony@domainname -AccessRights FullAccess

• Replace complaint@domainname with the shared mailbox’s address and tony@domainname with your user’s email ID.
• In Outlook, go to Account Settings, choose your account, and hit the remove button to delete the shared mailbox.
• Now, assign full access permissions again. Use the command:

Add-MailboxPermission -Identity complaint@domainname -User tony@xyz.com -AccessRights FullAccess -AutoMapping:$false

• Exchange complaint@domainname with the shared mailbox’s address and tony@xyz.com with your user’s address.
• Add the shared mailbox just like you would a regular account in Outlook, and you’ll be able to access it.

Finally, It’ll help users resolve the open shared mailbox in Outlook error.

An added tip:- Renaming an Outlook Offline Data File

If there is still an issue with shared mailbox synchronization, You can rename the Outlook Offline Data File (OST). This File can sometimes cause some issues. Here is the solution to do it:-

• Go to the OST file location: C:\Users<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook.
• Search the .ost File and rename it by adding “old” at the end (e.g., old.pst). It renames the File.
• Restart the Outlook application, and you’ll see that it creates a new OST file automatically when it reconnects with Exchange.

Moving further with the next solution that is by making and Verifying Logs.

Solution 02: Making and Verifying Logs

If you’re facing the problem of Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook, you can follow this guideline to create logs and investigate the issue to find a way.

• Start by running your Outlook application.
• Navigate File in the top menu. Go to Options. Select Advanced.
• In the Advanced option, look for the setting that says Enable troubleshooting logging (requires restarting Outlook).
• Examine this option.
• Hit OK to save your changes.
• Close your Outlook application properly.
• Further, then, reopen Outlook.
• The log files you’ve generated will be stored in a specific folder on your device.
• You can typically search these log files in one of these locations:
• %localappdata%/Temp folder
• C:/Users/YourUserName/AppData/Temp folder (YourUserName should be replaced with your actual username).
• Open the log files that you found in the previous step.
• These logs may contain information about what may be causing the shared mailbox problem.
• At last, review the logs carefully to identify any errors or problems.

Let’s move further along with the next solution by manually adding the shared mailbox.

Solution 03: Manually Add the Shared Mailbox.

Manual procedures are as follows:-

• Run an Outlook application on your computer.
• Hit on the File tab.
• Navigate to Account Settings and choose Account Settings again.
• To access your email account’s settings, double-click on it in the Email tab.
• Tap on More Settings.
• In the Advanced icon, look for an option called Download Shared Folders.
• Enable this tab.
• Hit Add and type in the name of the Shared Mailbox.
• Click OK, then Apply, and finally, hit OK to save your settings.

If you are still unable to fix the error Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook, proceed further with the next solution by recreating the Outlook profile.

Solution 04: Recreate the Outlook Profile

There may be scenarios when your email profile may be damaged, preventing you from accessing the Shared Mailbox. In such a case, you can create a new profile and set up your email account. Here are the steps:-

• Close an Outlook application and open the Control Panel on your device.
• Find and select the Mail option in the Control Panel.
• Click on Show Profiles and then hit Add.
• Enter a name for your new profile and hit OK.
• Provide your Microsoft 365 (Office 365) credentials to create your account with this new profile.
• Close the Control Panel and run Outlook when the new profile is created.
• In Outlook, choose your new profile name from the Profile Name list.
• Tap OK to launch Outlook with your newly created profile.
• You can expect the synchronization process to take a few minutes.
• Explore all your email folders, including the Shared Mailbox, which should be visible by now.

Note: There may be possibilities that these approaches may not work sometimes, and you still can’t add the shared mailbox to your user account in Outlook. In other options, consider reaching out to your administrator. They can adjust the settings or permissions to resolve the issue.

In case you have tried all the mentioned methods earlier and your shared mailbox Office 365 not showing in Outlook, in such case there might be something that went wrong during the shared mailbox migration. However, in such conditions, we suggest going for a professional solution, such as using a third-party Office 365 Email Backup Tool to export the shared mailbox from Office 365 and import it into your Outlook application, which is the most reliable and efficient software. With this, you can also secure Office 365 OWA emails

Conclusion

Office 365 shared mailbox not showing in Outlook can be a frustrating roadblock for your team’s communication and collaboration. This issue can be effectively handled by ensuring appropriate permissions, being mindful of Outlook version compatibility, and addressing cached mode conflicts. If all else fails, your Office 365 administrator can help you resolve this issue. If not, you can go for the best-automated solution.