How to Automatically Forward Email from a Shared Mailbox to Multiple Recipients in Outlook on the Web

Overview/Introduction

This article explains how to set up an inbox rule in Outlook on the web (Microsoft 365) so that a shared mailbox (for example, sharedmailbox@ursinus.edu) automatically forwards incoming email to one or more recipients.

Applicability

• Platform: Outlook on the web (https://outlook.office.com)
• Mailbox type: Shared mailbox (e.g., sharedmailbox@ursinus.edu)
• Action: Auto‑forward using an Inbox Rule
• Audience: End users who have permission to manage the shared mailbox

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure:

• You have permission to access the shared mailbox (for example, sharedmailbox@ursinus.edu).
• You can see or open the shared mailbox in Outlook on the web.
• You know all email addresses that should receive forwarded messages.

If you are unsure of your access or permissions, contact your IT support.

Step 1 – Open the Shared Mailbox in Outlook on the Web

1. Open a web browser and go to:
   https://outlook.office.com
2. Sign in with your Ursinus account, if prompted.
3. In the upper‑right corner, click your profile picture/initials.
4. Click Open another mailbox.
5. In the box that appears, type the name or email address of the shared mailbox, for example:
   sharedmailbox@ursinus.edu
6. Select the shared mailbox from the list and click Open.
   • The shared mailbox will open in a new browser tab.

Note: If the shared mailbox appears directly in your folder list on the left side under your own mailbox, you can click its name there instead of using “Open another mailbox.”

Step 2 – Open Rules Settings for the Shared Mailbox

With the shared mailbox tab open:

1. Click the Settings (gear) icon in the upper‑right corner.
2. At the bottom of the settings panel, click View all Outlook settings.
3. In the Settings window, select:
   • Mail > Rules (sometimes labeled Inbox rules).

Make sure the mailbox shown at the top of the window is the shared mailbox (for example, sharedmailbox@ursinus.edu), not your personal mailbox.

Step 3 – Create a Rule to Automatically Forward Messages

1. On the Rules page, click Add new rule.
2. In the Rule name box, enter a descriptive name, for example:
   Forward incoming mail to recipients
3. Under Add a condition, choose one of the following:
   • Apply to all messages – use this if you want every incoming email to be forwarded, or
   • A more specific condition (for example, From, Subject includes, Has attachment) if you only want to forward certain emails.
4. Under Add an action, select:
   • Forward to (or Forward to recipients, depending on the interface).
5. In the recipient field that appears, add each email address that should receive a forwarded copy:
   • Type an email address and press Enter or select it from the list.
   • Repeat this step for each additional recipient.
   • You can add one or more recipients, as allowed by your organization’s policies.
6. (Optional but recommended) Click Add an action again and select:
   • Stop processing more rules
     This prevents other rules on the shared mailbox from affecting these messages after they are forwarded.
7. Click Save to create and enable the rule.

Step 4 – Test the Forwarding Rule

1. From another account (or ask a colleague), send a test email to the shared mailbox address, for example:
   sharedmailbox@ursinus.edu
2. Confirm that:
   • The test message appears in the Inbox of the shared mailbox.
   • Each address you added to the rule receives the forwarded email.
3. If someone does not receive the message:
   • Verify that their email address is entered correctly in the rule.
   • Ask them to check their Junk Email / Spam folder.
   • Ask them to check both Focused and Other tabs, if Focused Inbox is enabled.

How to Edit or Remove the Forwarding Rule

To change or remove the auto‑forwarding later:

1. Open the shared mailbox in Outlook on the web (see Step 1).
2. Click the Settings (gear) icon > View all Outlook settings.
3. Go to Mail > Rules.
4. Find the rule you created:
   • To edit it: click the edit (pencil) icon, update the conditions, actions, or recipients, then click Save.
   • To delete it: click the delete (trash) icon and confirm.

Additional Notes

• Some organizations restrict automatic forwarding to external addresses. If forwarding to addresses outside @ursinus.edu does not work, contact IT support.
• The Mail > Forwarding option in Outlook on the web typically supports forwarding to only a single address. To forward to multiple recipients, use an Inbox Rule as described in this article.
• Rules run in order of priority. If there are multiple rules on the shared mailbox, review their order and use “Stop processing more rules” where needed.

FAQs

See Also