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Migrating a shared mailbox to a distribution group, or back

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Migrating a shared mailbox to a distribution group, or back

How to move an address from a shared mailbox to a distribution group, or back, without dropping mail — what happens to history, and when a Group is better.

Solving Microsoft 365 · www.solvingmicrosoft365.com/guides/shared-mailbox-to-distribution-group-migration

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First, check whether either is the right answer

Both directions have a third option. A Microsoft 365 group gives you a shared inbox and fan-out delivery (members can subscribe to receive copies in their own inbox), plus a SharePoint site and a Teams option nobody has…

Solving Microsoft 365 · www.solvingmicrosoft365.com/guides/shared-mailbox-to-distribution-group-migration

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Shared mailbox to distribution group

The address support@contoso.com currently belongs to the mailbox. You want it to deliver to a group of people.

Solving Microsoft 365 · www.solvingmicrosoft365.com/guides/shared-mailbox-to-distribution-group-migration

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Distribution group to shared mailbox

The reverse: sales@contoso.com fans out to eight people and they want a shared inbox with a single view.

Solving Microsoft 365 · www.solvingmicrosoft365.com/guides/shared-mailbox-to-distribution-group-migration

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What needs support or downtime

Nothing needs Microsoft support. Downtime is the address swap window — seconds if scripted, a few minutes if done by hand — and the risk is not lost mail but bounced mail, which senders will retry only if their systems…

Solving Microsoft 365 · www.solvingmicrosoft365.com/guides/shared-mailbox-to-distribution-group-migration

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