Besides john@contoso.com, do you also have an alias such as sales@contoso.com or an address on a second domain? Sometimes you want to send from that alias too, so the recipient sees that address and replies go there. For years Exchange Online quietly replaced the alias with your primary address. The SendFromAliasEnabled setting changes that. This article shows how to turn it on and use it in every version of Outlook.
Why send from an alias?
An alias is an extra email address on the same mailbox. Everything sent to it lands in your own inbox. Sending from it is useful when you:
- run a second brand or domain, such as john@brand2.com, and customers of that brand should see a consistent address;
- still need your old address for a while after a name change or merger;
- handle a functional address like info@ on your own and don't need a shared mailbox.
What you need
- The alias already exists on the mailbox. No alias yet? Read add an email alias. A new alias can take up to 24 hours to work everywhere.
- The alias domain is a verified domain in your tenant.
- An admin with an Exchange role, such as Exchange Administrator, to switch the setting on.
- For classic Outlook: a recent version of Microsoft 365 Apps. Older perpetual versions don't handle it well.
Step 1: the admin turns it on
The setting applies to the whole organisation and is off by default. Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell and run:
Set-OrganizationConfig -SendFromAliasEnabled $true
Check it with Get-OrganizationConfig | Format-List SendFromAliasEnabled. It can take up to an hour before every client picks it up. There's no switch for it in the Exchange admin center; PowerShell is the only way.
Step 2: send in the new Outlook and on the web
- Go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply. Once the setting is active you'll see a list of your addresses there. Tick the aliases that should appear in the From field. The exact section name can differ slightly.
- Create a new message.
- Show the From field: select Options > Show From. It stays visible after that.
- Select From and choose the alias. Not listed? Choose Other email address and type the full address.
In classic Outlook
Open a new message > Options tab > From. Select the From field > Other email address and type the alias. Outlook keeps the address in the drop-down for next time. You can't make an alias your permanent default: the primary address stays the default.
On your phone
In recent versions of Outlook for iPhone and Android you can tap the address in the From field while composing and pick an alias. Don't see it? Check your account settings for an alias option; its name and location vary by version. Update the app first.
Replying to email sent to your alias
This is where clients differ. Outlook on the web and the new Outlook reply from the address the message was sent to. Classic Outlook uses your primary address for replies by default. So always check the From field before you hit Send.
Common problems
- The recipient still sees your primary address. The setting isn't active yet or your Outlook is outdated. Wait an hour and update Outlook.
- An error saying you can't send as this address. The address belongs to another mailbox or group, not yours. That needs Send As permission.
- The message lands in spam. Make sure SPF, DKIM and DMARC are set up for the alias domain as well.
- Where did the sent message go? With an alias it's simply in your own Sent Items, unlike a shared mailbox.
Alias or shared mailbox?
Does a team work together on an address like sales@? A shared mailbox is often better: everyone sees the emails and the replies. Read set mailbox permissions and make sure sent items are kept in the shared mailbox. An alias is ideal for one person with several addresses.
FAQ
Can I enable this for just one user?
No, SendFromAliasEnabled is organisation-wide. Users without aliases won't notice anything.
How many aliases can a user have?
A mailbox can hold up to 400 addresses, at no extra licence cost.
Does forwarding still work?
Yes. Want mail for an alias to end up somewhere else? Read email forwarding in Exchange Online.
Nederlandstalige versie: Een e-mail verzenden vanaf een alias in Exchange Online en Outlook