Outlook & Email
Adding a Delegate to Your Mailbox
This guide explains how to add a delegate in Outlook, giving a colleague permission to read your email, manage your calendar, or send messages on your behalf.
Time needed
10 minutes
Platform
Microsoft 365
Guide steps
3 clear sections
Before you begin
You are signed in to the Outlook desktop app (delegation is set up from the desktop app, not Outlook on the web). You know your delegate's full name or email address.
Follow along
Step-by-step guide
Add a delegate in Outlook desktop (Windows)
- Instruction 1: Open the Outlook desktop app.
- Instruction 2: Click File > Account Settings > Delegate Access.
- Instruction 3: Click Add in the Delegates window.
- Instruction 4: Search for the colleague you want to add as a delegate, select their name, and click Add.
- Instruction 5: Click OK. You will see the Delegate Permissions window.
- Instruction 6: Set permissions for each area: Calendar, Tasks, Inbox, Contacts, Notes. The most common setup is to give Editor (read and write) access to Calendar and Reviewer (read only) access to Inbox.
- Instruction 7: Tick Delegate receives copies of meeting-related messages sent to me if you want meeting invites to go to both of you.
- Instruction 8: Click OK.
Action map
Add a delegate in Outlook desktop (Windows)
- 01
Open the Outlook desktop app.
- 02
Click File > Account Settings > Delegate Access.
- 03
Click Add in the Delegates window.
Visual guide
Use this visual action map alongside the written instructions above.
Open Outlook help & learning for Adding a Delegate to Your MailboxAdd a delegate in Outlook desktop (Mac)
- Instruction 1: Open Outlook on Mac.
- Instruction 2: Click Tools in the menu bar, then click Accounts.
- Instruction 3: Select your account, then click Advanced.
- Instruction 4: Click the Delegates tab.
- Instruction 5: Under Delegates who can act on my behalf, click the + button.
- Instruction 6: Search for and add your delegate, set the permissions, and click OK.
Explain what the delegate can do
- Instruction 1: Once added, your delegate can open your calendar or mailbox folders from their own Outlook.
- Instruction 2: In Outlook desktop, the delegate goes to File > Open & Export > Other User's Folder and enters your email address.
- Instruction 3: They can then read items and (with Editor permission) create, move, and delete items on your behalf.
- Instruction 4: With Send on Behalf permission, they can send emails that show 'Jane Smith on behalf of John Doe' in the From field.
Quick fixes
Troubleshooting
My delegate cannot see my calendar after being added
Ask your delegate to restart Outlook and try File > Open & Export > Other User's Folder. It can take a few minutes for delegation to take effect. If it still does not work after 15 minutes, remove and re-add the delegate.
I do not see the Delegate Access option in File
The Delegate Access option is only available when Outlook is connected to a Microsoft 365 or Exchange account. If you are using an IMAP or POP account, delegation is not supported. Contact the helpdesk.
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