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Join or leave an Outlook group in Outlook.com or Outlook on the web

Expand a section below to learn more about joining or leaving an Outlook group.

If the instructions don't match what you see, you might be using an older version of Outlook on the web. Try the instructions for Classic Outlook on the web.

Currently, you can't join an Outlook.com group unless an owner or member adds you. Learn how to add members, or see below for how to invite people.

Note: If you've been added to a group using your Microsoft Account - an Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, or Live.com email address - the other members of the group will be able to see the current display name, and primary email address of your account. Learn how to change your Microsoft Account display name.

You can invite people to join your group. If it's a private group, the group owner will receive a request from the invitee to join the group. You can also invite guests to join the group. They'll receive group conversations and calendar events in their inbox. However, guests can't be group owners, view the global address list, view all information on group member contact cards, or view membership of the group.

  1. Open Outlook on the web.

  2. In the folder pane, under Groups, select your group.

    A screenshot of a group in the navigation pane

  3. In the group header, select the number of members next to Settings for SPO Migration tool.

    A screenshot of the group members button

  4. Next to the group photo, select More options > Invite others.

    A screenshot of the Invite others option in the group card

  5. Do one of the following:

    • Select Copy to paste the link to join the group into an email that you've already started composing.

    • Select Email to start a new mail with a link to join the group in the message. The recipient will have to click that link to join the group.

      If the group is private, the link in the message will submit a request to the group owner join the group.

  6. Finish composing the mail and click Send.

As an owner, you receive requests to join your group from people who are not part of your group, but want to become a member of the group. 

  1. One can request to join your groups in two ways: if it is a Private group select Request to join, if it is a Public group select Join.

  2. The group owner/owners gets an email with the join request. The owner can Approve or Decline the join request from within the email.

All the other owners will also see that request has been approved and they don't need to act on it.A user can discover a group and might want to join it. If the group is private, owner get an email with the request. Owner can either approve or decline the request.

A group member can also send a request to add other users to your group

As an owner, you will receive an email from the group member, who wants to add other users to your group. The same email will go to other owners, if any. Based on the action taken, the email will update and show you the status of requests. 

  1. In the group header, select the number of members next to Settings for SPO Migration tool.

    A screenshot of the group members button

  2. Under the Role column, you can see if a person in the group is an owner or a member.

You have to be a group owner to promote one of your group members.

  1. In the group header, select the number of members next to Settings for SPO Migration tool.

    A screenshot of the group members button

  2. Find the person you want to promote to an owner.

  3. Under the Role column, select Member > Promote to owner.

When demoting an owner to member status, keep in mind that the group must have at least one owner. Only group owners can demote.

  1. In the group header, select the number of members next to Settings for SPO Migration tool.

    A screenshot of the group members button

  2. Find the person you want to demote to a member.

  3. Under the Role column, select Owner > Remove owner status.

You must be a group owner to remove members. If you're not sure if you're a group owner, see "View group owners" below.

  1. In the group header, select the number of members next to Settings for SPO Migration tool.

    A screenshot of the group members button

  2. Next to the name of the member you want to remove, select Remove from group Remove from group.

If you've been added to a group, you can leave the group at any time. 

Notes: 

  • If you are the last group owner and you leave the group, the other members will be notified and the group's data and content will be deleted in 30 days.

  • If you want the group to continue after you leave you'll need to make somebody else (or better yet, two people) group owner before you leave the group. To learn how to make a member an owner, see Create an Outlook.com group and add members.

  1. Select the group you want to leave.

  2. Click on the group name to pull up the group card.

  3. Go to the Member tab.

  4. Click the X next to your account to remove yourself from the group. You can also remove any other members you have added to the group.

You can invite people to join your group. If it's a private group, the group owner will receive a request from the invitee to join the group. You can also invite guests to join the group. They'll receive group conversations and calendar events in their inbox. However, guests can't be group owners, view the global address list, view all information on group member contact cards, or view membership of the group.

  1. Open Outlook on the web.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Groups, select your group.

  3. In the group header, select the member count.

    Select the member count to go to the Members page
  4. Select Add members.

  5. Enter the email address of the person you want to add.

  6. Select Save.

You must be a group owner to remove members. How do I know if I'm a group owner?

  1. In the group header, select the member count.

    Select the member count to go to the Members page
  2. Select All to see all members of the group.

    Select All to see the members of this group
  3. Next to the name of the member you want to remove and click The More Actions icon > Remove from group.

  1. In the group header, select the member count.

    Select the member count to go to the Members page
  2. Select Owners to see all of the group owners.

    Groups header with Owners link highlighted

You have to be a group owner to promote one of your group members.

  1. In the group header, select the member count.

    Select the member count to go to the Members page
  2. Select All to see all members of the group.

    Select All to see the members of this group
  3. Hover over the name of the member you want to promote and choose The More Actions icon >Make owner.

When demoting an owner to member status, keep in mind that the group must have at least one owner. Only group owners can demote.

  1. In the group header, select the member count.

    Select the member count to go to the Members page
  2. Select Owners.

    Groups header with Owners link highlighted

  3. Hover over the name of the member you want to promote and select The More Actions icon > Remove owner status.

See also

Add and remove group members in Outlook for Windows or Mac

Learn more about Outlook.com groups

Still need help?

To get support in Outlook.com, click here or select Help on the menu bar and enter your query. If the self-help doesn't solve your problem, scroll down to Still need help? and select Yes.

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