Add or remove an email alias in Microsoft 365 – IT Solver Support

This guide explains how to add or remove an extra email address, also called an alias, for a Microsoft 365 user.

Overview

An email alias is an extra email address that delivers email to the same mailbox.

For example, if jane@yourbusiness.com.au also needs to receive email sent to j.goodall@yourbusiness.com.au, you can add j.goodall@yourbusiness.com.au as an alias.

Emails sent to either address will arrive in the same inbox. The user does not get a separate mailbox or a separate Microsoft 365 login.

You can also remove an alias when the address is no longer needed, was only temporary, or needs to be used somewhere else.

Before you start

You need access to the Microsoft 365 admin centre.
Your admin account needs permission to manage users.
The user must already have a Microsoft 365 mailbox.
The email domain must already be available in Microsoft 365.

When to use an alias

A staff member changes their name and still needs to receive email sent to their old address.
A staff member uses a shortened name, preferred name, or alternate spelling.
One person needs to receive email sent to another address.
You want an old email address to keep working after changing someone’s main email address.

When not to use an alias

If several people need to access the same email address, such as sales@, admin@, or info@, use a shared mailbox instead.

Option 1: do it yourself

Follow these steps if you have Microsoft 365 admin access.

Open the Microsoft 365 Active users page.

Sign in with your Microsoft 365 admin account if prompted.
Select the user you want to update.
Under Aliases, select Manage username and email.

If you cannot see this option, check that the user has a licence assigned and that your account has permission to manage users.
Add or remove the alias:
- To add an alias, enter the first part of the email address, choose the correct domain, then select Add.
- To remove an alias, find the alias in the list and select the remove or delete option next to it.
Example: to add j.goodall@yourbusiness.com.au, enter j.goodall and select yourbusiness.com.au from the domain list.
Select Save changes.

Additional information

Changes can take up to 24 hours to apply across Microsoft 365.
An alias does not create a separate mailbox.
Email sent to an alias arrives in the user’s existing inbox.
Adding an alias usually does not require another Microsoft 365 licence.
Removing an alias does not delete the user’s mailbox or existing emails.
After an alias is removed, new emails sent to that address may no longer reach the user.
Be careful not to remove the user’s main email address unless you intend to change it.
If the user needs to send from the alias, extra setup may be required.

Option 2: ask IT Solver to do it for you

If your business is covered by an IT Solver Support Plan, you can ask us to add, remove, or review email aliases for you.

Send us a support request with:

The staff member’s current email address, such as jane@yourbusiness.com.au.
The alias you want added or removed, such as j.goodall@yourbusiness.com.au.
Whether the user needs to receive email only, or also send from the alias.
If removing an alias, whether the address should stop working or be moved somewhere else.

IT Solver will review the request and make the change where it is covered by your Support Plan.

Troubleshooting tips

If the alias does not work straight away, allow more time for Microsoft 365 to update.
If the alias cannot be added, it may already be used by another user, shared mailbox, group, or contact.
If you cannot see the alias settings, check the user’s licence and your admin permissions.
If Microsoft 365 says the user is synced from local Active Directory, the change may need to be made on your server first.
If multiple people need access to the same address, use a shared mailbox instead of an alias.

Was this helpful?

If you followed this guide, we’d love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment below to share whether this helped you add or remove an email alias in Microsoft 365. Your feedback helps us improve our documentation and assists others in the community.

Need further assistance?

If your business is covered by an IT Solver Support Plan, you can ask us to add, remove, or review Microsoft 365 email aliases for you.

If you need additional support or would like personalised guidance, check out our dedicated support plans at IT Solver Support Plans.