What are groups?

Groups is a service that works with Microsoft 365 tools that allows you to collaborate with your teammates when writing documents, creating spreadsheets, working on project plans, scheduling meetings, or sending emails. Groups in Microsoft 365 lets you choose a set of people you wish to collaborate with and set up a collection of resources for those people to share. Resources such as an Outlook inbox, shared calendar or a document library for collaborating on files.

How to create a Group

1. Click New Group from the group section of the Ribbon. If you're using Outlook on the web instead of the desktop version you can start this process by clicking the drop arrow next to New and selecting Group. If you're using Outlook Simplified you can start this process by clicking on your Folder Pane and right clicking on Groups and select New Group. 

2. Give your Group a name. The Group name will populate a group email address. You do not need to create a group email. 

3. Set the privacy setting. Groups are private by default. This means they can only be viewed by members of the group and require a group owner's permission to join. Public groups can be viewed, and joined, by anybody in your organization. Neither settings exposes your groups to people outside the organization unless you specifically invite them as guests. 

4. Decide if you want new members to follow the group (Advance options). Members who follow the group will get copies of each group message in their personal inbox. Members who are merely joined will have to go to the group's shared inbox to participate in group conversations. Once the Group is created you will be able to add members. 

How to add members to Groups

1. Go to your group in Outlook by finding it in the Navigation Folder Pane. It should be below your mailbox in the Groups section. 

2. Once you're in your group, click Add Members on the ribbon. If you're using Outlook on the web, click where it says how many members your group has, near the top right of the window, then click Add Members. If you're using Outlook Simplified, click on the three dots (More commands) on the right of the ribbon. 

3. Type the name or email address of each person you want to add in the field provided. When you're done, click OK and they'll be added. Each of them will receive an email message welcoming them to the group and giving them convenient links to access group content. 

Version: Outlook desktop application Classic Ribbon

How to view Groups

1. Expand the mailbox view by clicking on the small greater than symbol on the top left of the folder pane. (It is highlighted in the picture below).

2. Scroll down to "Groups".

 3. Select the Group you would like to view.

Receiving Group emails in your inbox

If you would like to receive emails from the groups you have been added to you may need to enable Show In Groups in your View setting.

1. Select View then select Arrange by. A drop down will appear, scroll down to Show In Groups. Make sure a check mark is visible. If the check mark is missing simply click on Show in Groups and the check mark will appear. 

Version: Outlook desktop application Simplified Ribbon

How to view Groups

1. Expand the mailbox view by clicking on the small greater than symbol on the top left of the folder pane. (It is highlighted in the picture below).

2. Scroll down to "Groups".

3. Select the Group you would like to view.

Receiving Group emails in your inbox

If you would like to receive emails from your groups you may need to enable Show In Groups in your setting.

1. Select View then select Arrange by. A drop down will appear, scroll down to Show In Groups. Make sure a check mark is visible. If the check mark is missing simply click on Show in Groups and the check mark will appear.

Version: Outlook Web

How to view Groups

In the web version of Outlook you can find Groups in the folder pane. Scroll through your folder pane to locate Groups.

1. Click on Show Navigation Pane located at the top left. 

2. Scroll and select Groups.

3. Select the Group you would like to view.

Viewing Group Emails

Viewing Group messages work differently than viewing conversations on the Outlook desktop application. 

1. To view group emails you will need to go into your Groups and select the group. Once selected, the emails from the group will appear to the right.