How to Create a Shared Mailbox in Google Workspace

Managing communication in a team can get tricky, especially when multiple people need access to the same inbox. A shared mailbox in Google Workspace is a practical solution that allows multiple users to send and receive emails from the same address.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to create a shared mailbox in Google Workspace, making it easier for your team to collaborate effectively. Before we give you the steps, let’s first understand a few basics about shared mailboxes.

What is a shared mailbox in Google Workspace?

A shared mailbox is an inbox that multiple users can access and manage as if it were their own account. It allows users to send, receive, and reply to emails from a common email address, such as "support@yourcompany.com" or "info@yourcompany.com," without the need to log into their individual accounts.

Google Group vs. shared mailbox

With Google Groups, members can send emails to a single group address, and the message will be distributed to all the members of the group. The main difference between Google Groups and a shared mailbox is how emails are handled.

With Google Groups, emails are sent to individual members' inboxes, so messages aren’t centralized in one inbox. In a shared mailbox, multiple users access and manage the same email inbox, meaning all emails are stored in one place. A shared mailbox and Google Groups are both features of Google Workspace. Learn how to create a Google Workspace account.

It’s important to differentiate between Google Groups and Gmail Groups. Google Groups is a collaboration tool within Google Workspace. While Gmail Groups simply allow users to send emails to multiple recipients at the same time. It’s more of a convenience feature for sending bulk emails without the collaborative elements of Google Groups.

Both have their uses, but Google Groups offers much more in terms of team collaboration. If you find Gmail groups more suited to your purpose, learn how to create an email group in Gmail.

Why should I create a shared mailbox in Google Workspace?

When you have a shared mailbox, multiple users of your organization can log into the same inbox and manage emails. This can be great for handling customer service inquiries, support requests, or other types of group communications.

For example, to manage customer support, you could create a shared mailbox email address such as support@yourcompany.com. This would allow multiple support agents to quickly access, manage, and respond to customer inquiries while preventing duplicate or missed messages.

For a sales team, you can create a shared mailbox like sales@yourcompany.com for your sales team to handle incoming leads and client inquiries. This means multiple salespeople can monitor the inbox and ensure timely follow-up, enhancing client engagement and communication.

How to create a shared inbox in Gmail

Step 1: Create a Google Group

Navigate to your Google Workspace account and sign in to reach your admin console. Click the ‘Menu’ in the top left corner, and under ‘Directory’ click ‘Groups’. Click ‘Create group’ on the next page to start creating a new group.

Enter the group details, such as the name of the group, description, group email, and group owners. Once done, click ‘Next’.

Step 2: Open group settings

Once your group is created, click on it. Then, you’ll want to navigate to the group settings, then access the “General” settings.

Step 3: Select collaborative inbox

In the General settings, under Enable additional Google Group features, you’ll want to click the bubbles for “Collaborative Inbox.” Your group now has access to a shared inbox.