Creating a group in Outlook saves you time when you email the same set of people regularly

A group in Outlook (also called a distribution list) is a single contact that holds multiple email addresses. When you send a message to the group, everyone in it receives a copy. You create groups inside Outlook itself — you do not need to go anywhere else or use a separate tool.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Outlook on the web, Outlook on your desktop, or Outlook on your phone. This guide covers the desktop version first, since that is where most people manage groups, then shows the web version. Phone groups are read-only — you can use groups on your phone but cannot create them there.

Key Takeaways

  • Desktop Outlook groups are created in the Contacts section by right-clicking and selecting "New Group", then adding members one at a time.
  • Outlook on the web groups are created under "People" by clicking "New Contact" and choosing "Distribution List" from the dropdown.
  • Once you create a group, you can send an email to it just like you would to a single person — type the group name in the To field.
  • Groups you create are stored locally on your computer (desktop) or in your Microsoft account (web), so they follow you when you sign in on another device.
  • You can edit a group at any time to add or remove members without affecting past emails you sent to that group.

Creating a group in Outlook on your desktop computer

Open Outlook and go to the Contacts section — you will see this as a folder in the left sidebar, or you can click the folder icon at the bottom of the window and select "Contacts". Once you are in Contacts, right-click in the empty space and select "New Group". A dialog box will open.

Type a name for your group in the "Group Name" field. Use something clear that tells you who is in it — for example, "Marketing Team" or "Book Club Members". Then click "Add Members" and choose "Add from Outlook Contacts" or "Add from Directory" depending on where the people you want are stored. If you have already saved their contact information in Outlook, use "Add from Outlook Contacts". If you are adding people from your organization's directory (usually only available in work accounts), use "Add from Directory".

A window will pop up showing your contacts. Click the name of each person you want to add, then click "Add" after each one. When you have added everyone, click "OK". The group is now created and saved in your Contacts folder.

Creating a group in Outlook on the web

Sign into Outlook at outlook.com or outlook.office.com. Click "People" in the left sidebar to go to your contacts. At the top of the page, click "New Contact" and a dropdown menu will appear. Select "Distribution List" from that menu.

Type a name for your group and add a description if you want one — the description is optional and only you see it. Then click "Add Members". A search box will appear. Type the name or email address of the first person you want to add and click their name when it appears in the results. Repeat this for each person. When you have added everyone, click "Create" at the bottom of the page.

Using your group to send an email

Once your group exists, sending an email to it works the same way as sending to any other contact. Open a new email, click in the "To" field, and start typing the group name. Outlook will show you the group in the dropdown suggestions — click it to add the whole group to the message. You can also add the group to the "Cc" or "Bcc" field if you prefer.

When you send the email, everyone in the group receives it. The recipients see the email came from you, not from "the group" — they see your name in the From field. If you use "Bcc" to add the group, the members cannot see each other's email addresses.

Editing or deleting a group

To change who is in a group, go back to your Contacts, find the group name, and double-click it. In the window that opens, you can click "Add Members" to add new people or click a member's name and then "Remove" to take them out. Click "Save" when you are done. These changes do not affect emails you already sent — they only change the group going forward.

To delete a group entirely, right-click the group name in your Contacts and select "Delete". You will be asked to confirm. Once deleted, the group is gone, but emails you sent to it in the past remain in your Sent folder.

Why your group might not appear in the dropdown

If you type a group name and it does not show up in the suggestions, the most common reason is that you are using a work or school account and the group was created in your personal contacts rather than your organization's directory. Try clicking "To" and looking for the group in the full contact list instead of relying on the dropdown. You can also check that you spelled the group name correctly.

If you created the group on the web version of Outlook but are now using the desktop version, it may take a few minutes to sync. Sign out of the desktop version and sign back in to force a refresh. The same applies in reverse — a group created on desktop may take time to appear on the web.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send an email to a group and have it look like it came from the group instead of from me?

No. Outlook groups are not mailboxes — they are just lists of addresses. Every email you send to a group shows your name in the From field. If you need a shared inbox that multiple people can send from, you would need to set up a shared mailbox or Microsoft 365 group instead, which is a different feature.

What happens if I add someone to a group after I already sent an email to that group?

The new member does not receive the old email. They only receive emails sent to the group after they were added. If you need to include them in a past conversation, you would have to forward the old email to them separately.

Can I create a group that includes other groups?

Yes, you can add a group to another group. When you click "Add Members", you can select a group name just like you would a person. When you send an email to the larger group, everyone in all the nested groups receives it.

Do people in my group know they are in it?

No. Creating a group does not send anyone a notification. The group is private to you — only you see it in your Contacts. People find out they are in a group when they receive an email sent to it and see the group name in the To field.

Can I create a group on my phone?

Outlook on phones and tablets does not have the ability to create groups. You can use groups that already exist — just type the group name in the To field — but you have to create new groups on a desktop computer or through Outlook on the web.