What the "From" field does and why you might need it

The "From" field in Outlook is the email address that appears as the sender when you send a message. By default, Outlook shows only your primary email account. If you have multiple email addresses connected to your account — whether they belong to you personally, represent a business role, or are shared mailbox addresses — you can add them to the "From" dropdown so you can choose which one to send from on a message-by-message basis.

This is different from changing your account settings. You are not switching accounts; you are adding sender addresses to your existing account so you can send mail that appears to come from different addresses without logging out and back in.

The steps differ slightly between Outlook on the web, Outlook for Windows, and Outlook for Mac, so this guide covers all three.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add multiple "From" addresses to a single Outlook account so you can choose which address appears as the sender for each message you send.
  • The address you add must already exist in your Microsoft account or be a shared mailbox you have permission to send from.
  • On Outlook on the web, you add addresses in Settings under "Mail" and then "Forwarding"; on Outlook for Windows and Mac, you use Account Settings.
  • After you add an address, it appears in the "From" dropdown when you compose a new message.
  • Some addresses require verification or permission from your organization before they will appear in the dropdown.

Adding a "From" address in Outlook on the web

Open Outlook on the web and sign in to your account. In the top right corner, click the gear icon and select View all Outlook settings (or just Settings if that option does not appear).

In the left sidebar, click Mail, then scroll down and click Forwarding. Under "Forwarding", you will see a section called From (not to be confused with the forwarding address section above it). Click Add from address. Type the email address you want to add and click Add. Outlook will send a verification email to that address. Open the email and click the verification link. Once verified, the address will appear in your "From" dropdown the next time you compose a message.

If the address you want to add is a shared mailbox that your organization has given you permission to send from, it may appear automatically without requiring verification. Check your "From" dropdown in a new message to confirm.

Adding a "From" address in Outlook for Windows

Open Outlook and click File in the top left. Click Account Settings, then click Account Settings

Select the account you want to add addresses to, then click Change. In the window that opens, look for a section labeled Send from other email addresses or From. Click New or the + button. Type the email address you want to add and click OK. Outlook will send a verification email to that address. Open the email and click the verification link. The address will then appear in your "From" dropdown.

If you do not see a "Send from other email addresses" section, your account type may not support this feature, or the address may need to be added through your organization's admin panel first.

Adding a "From" address in Outlook for Mac

Open Outlook and click Outlook in the menu bar at the top. Click Preferences. In the Preferences window, click Accounts. Select the email account you want to add addresses to from the list on the left.

Click the Advanced tab. Look for a section called Send mail from or From addresses. Click the + button to add a new address. Type the email address and click OK. Outlook will send a verification email. Open that email and click the verification link. The address will appear in your "From" dropdown the next time you compose a message.

What to do if your address does not appear in the dropdown

If you added an address but it does not show up in the "From" dropdown when you compose a message, the verification email may not have been sent or clicked. Check your inbox (including spam and junk folders) for an email from Microsoft or Outlook asking you to verify the address. Click the link in that email.

If you do not see a verification email, the address may not be recognized as one you own. Make sure you typed it correctly and that it is an address associated with your Microsoft account or your organization's domain. If it is a shared mailbox, ask your organization's IT department or email administrator to confirm you have permission to send from it.

If you added the address on Outlook on the web but it does not appear in Outlook for Windows or Mac, wait a few minutes for the change to sync across devices. If it still does not appear after 30 minutes, sign out of Outlook on your desktop and sign back in.

Choosing which address to send from

Once you have added addresses to your account, you can choose which one to send from each time you compose a message. Open a new message and look for the "From" field at the top. Click the dropdown arrow next to your default address. A list of all addresses you have added will appear. Click the one you want to send from. That address will appear as the sender when the recipient receives the message.

If you want one address to be your default sender instead of switching it every time, you can usually set a default in your account settings. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Forwarding and look for a "Default from address" option. In Outlook for Windows and Mac, this setting is usually in Account Settings under the Advanced tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add an email address that is not mine?

No. You can only add addresses that belong to you or that your organization has given you permission to send from (such as a shared mailbox or a department email). Outlook requires verification, which means you must have access to the email address you are adding.

Do I need to verify every address I add?

Most addresses require verification through a link sent to that email. Shared mailboxes your organization has set up may not require verification if your admin has already granted you send-as permission. If you are unsure, try adding the address and see whether a verification email arrives.

What if I want to remove an address from my "From" dropdown?

Go back to the same settings where you added it. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Forwarding and click the trash icon next to the address. In Outlook for Windows or Mac, go to Account Settings, select the account, and click the address, then click Remove or the − button.

Will my contacts see the address I send from?

Yes. When you send a message from a different "From" address, that address appears in the "From" field of the email your recipient receives. They will see it in their inbox and in the message itself.

Can I add a Gmail address or other non-Microsoft email to Outlook?

No. You can only add addresses that are part of your Microsoft account or your organization's Microsoft 365 domain. If you want to send from a Gmail address, you would need to set up Gmail forwarding or use Gmail's own send-as feature instead.