Create a New Outlook Profile

The instructions in this article explain how to create a new profile in Microsoft Outlook for both Windows and Mac.  You might need to do this if your email account is not working as it should.  Mail merges to email may also require a separate profile. 

Tip:  It's best not to delete the old profile right away so you can reference it again if necessary (e.g., to view settings, names of additional accounts, etc.).

Contents:

• Outlook for Windows
  • Accessing Additional Mailboxes from your Primary Profile
  • Additional Profiles for Direct Access to Other Accounts
• Outlook for Mac

Outlook for Windows

1. Close Outlook completely.

2. Click the Taskbar's magnifying glass to search for, then launch, the Control Panel app.

3. In the upper right hand corner, use the search field to search for Mail.
    
4. Click to select Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
5. In the Mail Setup - Outlook window, click the Show Profiles... button, shown below.  
6. From the Mail window, click the Add... button then enter a profile name to identify this account.  The name only displays in your profile list and can be whatever you'd like.  
7. Windows will automatically take your credentials from your login to set you up with your new email profile. If you are setting this up on a personally-owned device, refer to the Email configuration page for more information.
8. Before applying your changes on the Mail window, select the radio button that says Always use this profile, then select your new profile name from the drop-down list so that it is the default when opening Outlook.

Important: If you use email accounts with shared access, turn off cached mode for shared folders now to avoid syncing issues.  Learn how to do that here.

Accessing Additional Mailboxes From Your Primary Profile

Many people have access to more than one mailbox, such as a shared departmental account or a senior administrator you assist, without knowing the password of the account. Depending on permission levels, these accounts may appear in your Outlook profile on their own, after five or ten minutes.

These instructions explain how to open a shared mailbox from your own account if it does not automatically appear:

1. Click File in the top left corner of the Outlook window.
2. Click the Account Settings button, then choose Account Settings... from the drop-down list.
3. From the Account Settings window, click the Data Files tab then click Settings..., as shown below.  
4. From the Microsoft Exchange window, click the Advanced tab then click the Add... button.  

5. Search for the name of the desired account/mailbox, then select it from the list that appears.

6. IMPORTANT:  Make sure to UNcheck Download shared folders to avoid syncing issues.
    
7. Click OK then Close.  Please note that it can take time for the email and other data to display in your account.  Syncing progress will display along the bottom of the Outlook window.

Additional Profiles for Direct Access to Other Accounts

In certain situations you need direct access to an account using a separate Outlook profile in order to accomplish specific tasks.  For example, mail merge to email requires this type of setup in order to have outgoing email show as coming from an account other than your own. 

• Most tasks pertaining to other accounts, such as adding/modifying Inbox rules and Out-of-Office messages, can be done using Webmail without need for a separate Outlook profile.

The following instructions explain how to create a separate profile for an account to which you already have "send as" permission; that is, you can send messages from the other account and that account appears in the "From" field as the sender.

1. Follow steps 1-5 in the "Outlook for Windows" section above to start creating the new profile.
2. At step 6, select the option Prompt for a profile to be used.  This will cause Outlook to present the profile list when launched so you can pick the one you want.
3. Select Add... as above.
4. Select Manual setup or additional server types then click Next, as shown below.  
   
    
5. From the Add Account window, choose Microsoft 365 (or Office 365, depending on your Outlook version) and supply the full email address of the account you wish to use, then click Next.  
6. You should be returned to the Add Account window. 
   • Check the box to Change Account Settings -- you'll want to turn off cached mode on shared folders.
   • UNcheck the option to Set up Outlook mobile on your phone if not desired.
   • Click Next.
7. From the Add Account, Server Settings window, click the More Settings... button.
8. Click the Advanced tab on the Microsoft Exchange window.
9. Finally...  UNcheck the box beside Download shared folders then click OK.
10. To wrap up, click Finish, then OK to close out the remaining dialog boxes.
11. When you launch Outlook, you'll be able to choose the profile you need.

Outlook for Mac

Add an Account

1. Launch Outlook.  Click Outlook on the Menu Bar at the top, then select Settings (or Preferences on older OS).

2. In the window that appears, select Accounts.  
3. In the Accounts window, click the + button in the lower left hand corner then select Add an Account... from the pop-up menu (or New Account on older OS).
4. Enter your email address then click Continue.  Provide your password if prompted.
5. When you see Microsoft 365 account has been added, click Done.
6. To set a default account, click to select your desired account then click the Rearrange Accounts button in the Accounts window then choose Set as Default (shown below).
7. Should you need direct access to any additional accounts, enter them using the same process outlined above.

Microsoft Resources

• Manage profiles or identities in Outlook for Mac

• Open a shared Mail, Calendar or People folder in Outlook for Mac