Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook 2016 Outlook.com New Outlook for Windows Outlook on the web for Exchange Server 2016

When you join a group, you gain access to the group mailbox and a group calendar. If the group is connected to a work or school account using a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription, you also gain access to a OneNote notebook and team site. Permissions are taken care of automatically so you don't need to worry about missing any meetings or conversations.

Once you've joined a group you'll receive a welcome message that contains important information and links to help you get started. If the group is public, you'll get the message right away. If the group is private, you'll get the welcome message after you've been approved by a group owner.

If you've suddenly started receiving emails from a Group in Outlook, you may be wondering how you got added to that group, and perhaps how you can leave the group. When you were added you should have received a welcome email that tells you about the group, including who added you. It's possible that email may have gone into your junk email or spam folder.

When you locate the welcome message you'll discover who added you, what the group is about, and you'll find a link to leave the group if you'd rather not be a member.

The welcome message from an Outlook.com group showing name of the person who added you to the group and the Leave group link at the bottom of the message.

Join a group  |  Leave a group  |  Follow a group

Join a Group in new Outlook

  1. From the navigation bar select  Groups icon Groups.

  2. On the Group Home tab, select Discover Groups.

  3. Enter a group name in the search box or scroll the list to find the one you want.

  4. Select Join or Request to Join.

  5. If the group is private, a request will be sent to the group's admin, who can accept or decline the request.

Leave a Group in new Outlook 

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 a Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook.

  1. From the navigation bar select  Groups icon Groups.

  2. On the Group Home tab, select a group card.

  3. Select Group Settings .

  4. Select Leave Group.From the Group settings panel, select your follow preference or select leave

Follow a Group in new Outlook 

After you've become a member of a group, your follow preference will determine how many group emails you'll receive in your personal inbox.

  1. From the navigation bar select  Groups icon Groups.

  2. On the Group Home tab, select a group card.  

    Tip: Select the entire (or blank space) of the group card to access that group's home. When you select the group name or icons, you'll access different features.

    A group card displays the group name, number of members and has icons for email, files, calendar, and members.

  3. Use the drop-down list to choose your follow preference.The drop down list will show your follow options: follow in inbox, follow only specific emails in inbox, or stop following in inbox.

Join a group  |  Leave a group  |  Follow a group

Join a Group in classic Outlook

In classic Outlook, from the navigation bar select More apps > Groups. (To pin, right-click Groups icon Groups and select Pin.)

From  Groups Home you can see all your groups at once.

  1. On the Home tab, select Browse Groups.From the ribbon, select Browse Groups

  2. Enter a group name in the search box or scroll the list to find the one you want.

  3. Select Join.

    If the group is private, a request will be sent to the group's admin, who can accept or decline the request.

Join a Group in classic Outlook from an email

  1. If you receive an email message from a group that you're not a member of and decide to join the group, select Join on the group header in the right corner of the reading pane.

    If the group is private, you'll see Request to Join instead, and will be asked to provide a reason for joining.

    Request to join a group from an email

  2. Wait for your request to go through, or for the group's admin to add you if you're trying to join a private group.

  3. Once you've joined the group, you'll see detailed membership status as well as a shortcut to navigate to the group's inbox.

Leave a Group in classic Outlook

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 a Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook.

  1. In classic Outlook, from the navigation bar select More apps > Groups. (To pin, right-click Groups icon Groups and select Pin.)

    From  Groups Home you can see all your groups at once.

  2. Select a group name.

  3. From the ribbon, select Group Settings.

  4. Select Leave Group.

Follow a Group in classic Outlook

When you follow a group in Outlook, all group conversations and calendar events will be sent to both the group mailbox and your personal inbox. This is particularly helpful when you belong to multiple groups and want to stay on top of the conversations from one location.

  1. Select a group from the navigation pane.

  2. From the ribbon, select Group Settings, and under Follow in Inbox, select which emails or events you'd like to receive directly in your personal inbox. To stop receiving group emails in your personal inbox, select No Emails or Events.Select Group settings from the ribbon and then select which items you'd like to follow or unfollow​​​​​​​

Join a group  |  Leave a group  |  Follow a group

Join a Group in Outlook on the web

  1. In the navigation pane, under Groups, select Discover groups.

  2. In the search box, type a search term and press Enter.

  3. Select Join if the group is public or Request to join if the group is private.

  4. Once you've joined a group you'll receive a welcome message that contains important information and links to help you get started. If the group is public, you'll get the message right away. If the group is private, you'll get the welcome message after you've been approved by group owner.

Leave a Group in Outlook on the web

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 a Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook.

  1. From the navigation bar select  Groups icon Groups.

  2. On the Group Home tab, select a group card.

  3. Select Group Settings .

  4. Select Leave Group.From the Group settings panel, select your follow preference or select leave

Follow a Group in Outlook on the web

When you follow a group in Outlook, all group conversations and calendar events will be sent to both the group mailbox and your personal inbox. This is particularly helpful when you belong to multiple groups and want to stay on top of the conversations from one location.

  1. From the navigation bar select  Groups icon Groups.

  2. On the Group Home tab, select a group card.  

    Tip: Select the entire (or blank space) of the group card to access that group's home. When you select the group name or icons, you'll access different features.

    A group card displays the group name, number of members and has icons for email, files, calendar, and members.

  3. Use the drop-down list to choose your follow preference.The drop down list will show your follow options: follow in inbox, follow only specific emails in inbox, or stop following in inbox.

Join, leave, or follow a Group in Outlook​​​​​​​.com

Join a group  |  Invite people to join a group  |  Leave a group  |  Follow a group

Join a Group in Outlook.com

You can only join an Outlook.com group when 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.

Invite people to join your group in Outlook.com

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. In the folder pane, under Groups, select your group. ​​​​​ A screenshot of a group in the navigation pane

  2. In the group header, select Add members .

  3. Enter the email address of the person you would like to invite to the group. ​​​​​​​

Leave a Group in Outlook.com

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 a Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook.

  1. Select the group you want to leave.

  2. Select the group name to pull up the group card.

  3. Go to the Member tab.

  4. Select 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.

Follow a Group in Outlook.com

  1. From the navigation bar select  Groups icon Groups.

  2. On the Group Home tab, select a group name from the list.

  3. Use the drop-down list to choose your follow preference.

From the drop down list, select Receive all email and events

See also

Try the new Groups in Outlook

Create a Group in Outlook

Add, edit, or remove Group members in Outlook

Adding guests to Microsoft 365 Groups

Join, leave, or follow Groups in Outlook​​​​​​​

Send an email to a Group in Outlook

Schedule an event on a Group calendar in Outlook

Use shared files with your Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook

Edit or delete a Group in Outlook

Use Microsoft 365 Groups as a guest

Guests doesn't receive Microsoft 365 Group emails

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