Creating a group in Outlook usually means one of two things. You either want a personal contact list so you can email several people at once, or you want a Microsoft 365 Group with Outlook group features tied to a work, school, or Outlook.com account.
Start by picking the right type, then use the steps for your version of Outlook below. The menus are different across new Outlook, classic Outlook, Outlook.com, Mac, mobile, and Microsoft 365 admin tools.
1. Choose the Outlook group you actually need
Use a contact list when you want one saved list of email addresses for sending messages to the same people. In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, Microsoft uses contact list. In classic Outlook, the same personal mailing-list idea is called a contact group.
Use a Microsoft 365 Group when your work or school account has a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription and you want an Outlook group with membership and privacy settings. Your organization controls whether Groups appears in Outlook.
Use a contact folder only when you want to organize contacts. A folder does not create a mailing list and does not give you one group email address.
2. Create a contact list in new Outlook
- 1.Open new Outlook.
- 2.Select People on the side panel.
- 3.Select the contact you want to add to a new list.
- 4.Select Add to list from the Ribbon, or right-click the contact and select Add to list.
- 5.Select New contact list.
That creates a personal mailing list for your contacts. It does not create a Microsoft 365 collaboration group.
3. Build a list in Outlook.com or Outlook on the web
If the contacts are already in front of you, use the selected-contact path: open Outlook.com or Outlook on the web, select People, select a contact, choose Add to list, then select New contact list.
If you want to start from an empty list in Outlook.com, go to People, select the arrow next to New contact, choose New contact list, enter the list name, add names or email addresses, and select Create.
4. Make a contact group in classic Outlook
- 1.Open classic Outlook.
- 2.Select People on the side panel.
- 3.Select New Contact Group from the Ribbon.
- 4.Enter a Name.
- 5.Select Add Members and add the contacts.
- 6.Select Save & Close.
Classic Outlook also supports Ctrl + Shift + L for creating a contact group from the People area.
5. Set up a contact list on Mac
In Outlook for Mac, select People on the side navigation bar, then select the Contacts folder under the account where the list belongs. Hover over New Contact, select New Contact List, type the list name, enter an email address under Add members, select Add, repeat for the rest of the members, and select Save.
For POP or IMAP accounts, create the list under On My Computer. Microsoft 365 and Outlook.com accounts sync contact lists from the server.
6. Create a Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook
New Outlook for Windows: select Groups in the app bar, or select Go to Groups from the mailbox folder list. Select New Group on the ribbon, choose New Group, enter the Name and Description, set Privacy, select Create, then add members and select Add or choose Not now.
Classic Outlook for Windows: select Groups in the app bar, or select Home and then New Group. Fill in Group name, Description, Classification when shown, Privacy, and the option to send group conversations and events to members' inboxes, then select Create. Add members and select Add, or choose Not now.
Outlook on the web: select Groups in the app bar, select New Group on the ribbon, choose New Group, enter the Name, Email address, and Description, set Privacy, select Create, then add members and select Add or choose Not now.
Outlook.com: select Groups in the app bar, select New Group on the ribbon, choose New Group, enter the Name, Email address, and Description, set Privacy, then select Create. Personal-account Microsoft 365 Groups do not include the work or school shared OneNote, SharePoint, or Planner resources.
7. Add a Microsoft 365 Group on mobile
- 1.Open Outlook for iOS or Android.
- 2.Tap Home.
- 3.Tap the Microsoft 365 account for the group.
- 4.Tap Home again.
- 5.Tap Groups.
- 6.Tap Add New Group.
- 7.Enter the group name, then edit the generated email address if needed.
- 8.Tap Next.
- 9.Set Follow in inbox.
- 10.Choose Public or Private.
- 11.Tap Next.
- 12.Enter member email addresses or skip that step.
- 13.Tap Create.
This path applies to Outlook for Android and Outlook for iOS with a qualifying work or school Microsoft 365 account.
8. Ask an admin to create an organization group
For a Microsoft 365 Group in the admin center, the admin opens Microsoft 365 admin center, expands Teams & groups, selects Active teams & groups, chooses Add Microsoft 365 group, enters the name and optional description on Basics, selects owners on Owners, selects members on Members, enters the email address and privacy setting on Settings, reviews the setup, and selects Create group.
For an organization-wide email distribution list, the admin opens Microsoft 365 admin center, selects Show all, goes to Teams and groups, opens Active teams and groups, selects Distribution list, chooses Add a distribution list, enters the name and description, assigns owners, adds members, enters the group email address, chooses whether people outside the organization can send to it, and selects Create group.
9. Fix a missing New Group option
If Groups, New Group, or Add New Group is missing on a work or school account, the account may not have a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription or license, your organization has not enabled Microsoft 365 Groups, or IT has restricted group creation. Ask your Microsoft 365 admin to enable Groups or create the group for you.
Skip old Outlook for Mac instructions that use File > New > Group for Microsoft 365 Group creation. Microsoft marks that path as legacy-only, so use Outlook on the web, new Outlook, classic Outlook for Windows, mobile, or an admin-created group when your account supports it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an Outlook contact list the same as a Microsoft 365 Group?
No. A contact list is a personal mailing list for sending one email to multiple addresses. A Microsoft 365 Group is tied to account, subscription, privacy, and organization settings.
Can I create a group in Outlook.com?
Yes. Outlook.com supports contact lists from the People page, and Microsoft also documents Microsoft 365 Groups in Outlook.com. Personal-account Microsoft 365 Groups do not include the work or school shared OneNote, SharePoint, or Planner resources.
Why does Outlook hide New Group?
For work or school accounts, the organization controls group availability. Outlook hides Groups or Add New Group when the account is not eligible or licensed for Groups, when Microsoft 365 Groups are not enabled, or when group creation is disabled.
Can I create a contact list in Outlook mobile?
Microsoft documents Outlook mobile group creation for Microsoft 365 Groups, not contact-list creation. Use Outlook on the web, Outlook.com, new Outlook, classic Outlook, or Outlook for Mac for contact lists.
Do I need an admin for a distribution list?
Yes for an organization-wide distribution list in Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online. Admins create those from the Microsoft 365 admin center or Exchange admin center.
