Create a group in the Microsoft 365 admin center

While users can create a Microsoft 365 group from Outlook or other apps, as an admin, you may need to create or delete groups, add or remove members, and customize how they work. The Microsoft 365 admin center is the place to do this.

Tip

Microsoft 365 connected Viva Engage groups must be created in Viva Engage, but can be managed in the Microsoft 365 admin center like other Microsoft 365 groups. To learn more, see Viva Engage and Microsoft 365 groups.

Create a Microsoft 365 group

  1. In the admin center, expand Groups, and then click Groups.

  2. Select Add a group.

  3. On the Choose a group type page, select Microsoft 365, and select Next.

  4. On the Basics page, type a name for the group, and, optionally, a description. Select Next.

  5. On the Owners page, choose the name of one or more people who will be designated to manage the group. Anyone who is a group owner will be able to delete email from the Group inbox. Other members won't be able to delete email from the Group inbox. Select Next.

  6. On the Members page, choose the name of one or more people who will be designated as members of the group. Select Next.

  7. On the Settings page, type a unique email address for the group, choose a privacy option and whether you want to add Microsoft Teams, and then select Next.

  8. After reviewing your settings and making any changes, select Create group.

  9. Select Close.

Add members to the group

Once the group has been created, you can add members and configure additional settings.

Users can add themselves or request approval, or you can add them now.

  1. In the admin center, refresh the page so your new group appears, and then select the name of the group that you want to add members to.

  2. On the Members tab, select View all and manage members.

  3. Select Add members.

  4. Select the users you want to add, and then select Save.

  5. Select Close three times.

The group will appear in Outlook with members assigned to it.

Who can delete email from the Group inbox?

The Group owner can delete any emails from the Group Inbox, regardless of whether they were the initial author.

A member can delete an email conversation from the Group inbox if they initiated it, and only using Outlook on the web (right-click the email, then choose Delete). They can't do it from the Outlook app (Outlook 2016).

When an email is deleted from the group mailbox, it is not deleted from any of the group members' personal mailboxes.

Next steps

After creating a new group and adding members, you can further configure your group, such as editing the group name or description, changing owners or members, and specifying whether external senders can email the group and whether to send copies of group conversations to members. See Manage a Microsoft 365 group for information.

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