How to Share and Access Shared Folders in Outlook Web App

Follow these steps to grant others access to an e-mail folder in your account, or access folders that have been shared with you using the Outlook Web App.

How to share folders

1. Log into Outlook Web App.  

2. Locate the folders you want to share.

   1. To share your own folders, right-click the folder you want to share then click Permissions... 

   2. If you are the Full Access Delegate of a shared mailbox, you can share folders from that shared mailbox. Select your account avatar in the top-right corner. Click Open another mailbox, enter the name of the shared mailbox, then click Open. Right-click a folder in the shared mailbox and select Permissions…

3. Click the + sign to open the "add user" window.  

4. Begin typing the person's name with whom you wish to share the folder. If they appear in an initial list of users, select them. If they do not, click Search Contacts & Directory and locate and select them there.  

5. Click add and then confirm this person is highlighted in list of names.  

6. Click the drop-down menu to the right of Permission level to assign the appropriate permissions you wish for this individual to have on this folder, or create a custom set of options by clicking to select desired options among the "Read", "Write", "Delete access", and "Other" areas. 
   Note: Assigning of permissions should be done with caution and users should only be granted permission suitable for the level of access needed. 

7. Confirm that everything is as desired for the selected user and then click ok.

Next, you must grant Folder visible permission at the root level:

1. Right-click the root folder of the Exchange mailbox (this is the top-level folder with the name of the account). Then click Folder Permissions. If "Folder Permissions" is not available, click Data File Properties.

2. In the Permissions tab, click the name of the delegate. You may need to Add the delegate first.

3. Under Other, select the Folder visible check box. All other permissions, (i.e., Read and Delete Items) can remain as No.

4. Click OK. 

How to access shared folders

1. Log into Outlook Web App.

2. Right-click Folders on the left side of the screen and select Add shared folder.

3. Begin typing the person's name who shared the folder with you or the name of the shared mailbox. If the name appears in an initial list of users, select it. If it does not, click Search Contacts & Directory and locate and select it there.

4. Click add.

5. Scroll down past your list of folders on the left side of the screen, locate the person’s name who shared the folder with you, and click it to access the shared folder.