Convert user mailbox to shared mailbox

If you want multiple users to access the same mailbox, without paying a license because it is under 50 GB, it’s best to have a shared mailbox instead. There are three ways to convert a user mailbox to shared mailbox. In this article, you will learn how to convert a user mailbox to a shared mailbox in Exchange Admin Center (EAC), Microsoft Admin Center, and PowerShell.

User mailbox vs. shared mailbox

Let’s explain the main differences between a user and a shared mailbox.

User mailbox:

• Paid license
• Sign in with your credentials

Shared mailbox:

• Free license under 50 GB of storage
• Multiple users accessible (25 persons recommended)
• Sign in with a user account that has access permission

Convert user to shared mailbox in Exchange Admin Center

From December 2022, Microsoft announced that the classic Exchange Admin Center will be depreciated. Therefore, Microsoft recommends using the new EAC. We want to show you the steps to convert the user mailbox to a shared mailbox in the new Exchange Admin Center (EAC).

Follow the steps below to convert a regular user mailbox to a shared mailbox in EAC:

1. Sign in to Exchange Admin Center
2. Click on Recipients > Mailboxes
3. Select the user mailbox you want to convert
4. Click Others
5. Select Convert to shared mailbox

6. Click Confirm

The mailbox is being converted from a regular to a shared mailbox. You successfully converted the mailbox!

To verify that you converted to a shared mailbox, navigate to EAC > Recipients > Mailboxes. Click on the user, and you will see Shared mailbox under the user name.

Convert user to shared mailbox in Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Follow the steps below to convert a regular user to a shared mailbox in Microsoft 365 Admin Center:

1. Sign in to Microsoft 365 Admin Center
2. Click on Users > Active users
3. Select the user mailbox you want to convert
4. Click Mail
5. Click Convert to shared mailbox

6. Click Convert

To verify that you successfully converted the user to a shared mailbox, navigate to Microsoft 365 admin center > Teams & groups > Shared mailboxes. Find the user in the shared mailboxes list.

Use PowerShell to convert user to shared mailbox

Another option to convert a user to a shared mailbox is with PowerShell. Before you start, you need to Install Exchange Online PowerShell module.

1. Use the below command to Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell.

Connect-ExchangeOnline

We will use the -Type parameter with the Shared value to make it a shared mailbox type.

2. Use the below PowerShell command to convert a user mailbox to shared mailbox. Type in the name of the user mailbox.

Set-Mailbox "Amanda Hansen" -Type Shared

You can also use the same PowerShell command and type the user’s email address instead.

Set-Mailbox "Amanda.Hansen@m365info.com" -Type Shared

3. To check that you converted this user to a shared mailbox in PowerShell, you can run the Get-Mailbox cmdlet, including the mailbox name.

Get-Mailbox -Identity "Amanda Hansen" | Format-Table Name, RecipientTypeDetails

Or use the below PowerShell command to verify you converted and type the mailbox email address.

Get-Mailbox -Identity "Amanda.Hansen@m365info.com" | Format-Table Name, RecipientTypeDetails

The PowerShell output shows that you successfully converted to a shared mailbox.

PS C:\> Get-Mailbox -Identity "Amanda.Hansen@m365info.com" | Format-Table Name, RecipientTypeDetails

Name          RecipientTypeDetails
----          --------------------
Amanda Hansen SharedMailbox

Which of the three options did you use to convert a user mailbox to a shared mailbox?

Read more: Manage Office 365 Shared Mailbox with PowerShell »

Conclusion

You learned how to convert a user mailbox to a shared mailbox in three ways. It’s possible to do this in the Exchange Admin Center (EAC), Microsoft 365 admin center, or PowerShell Exchange Online. A shared mailbox doesn’t require having licenses, so remember to remove licenses or double-check them after you convert.

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