Outlook: Join a M365 Group

Microsoft 365 Groups make it easier to stay connected with your team. When you join your school’s or department’s M365 group, you get access to shared conversations, calendars, files, and collaboration spaces — all in one place. Not every school or department has an M365 group yet, but if yours does, joining is a great way to stay informed, work together more efficiently, and never miss an important update.

For Staff

Overview

Microsoft 365 Groups allow staff to collaborate using shared email, files, calendars, conversations, and other Microsoft 365 services. In many cases, users can join groups directly through Outlook without needing assistance from the IT Department.

This article explains how to join a Microsoft 365 Group using Outlook. For an alternative enrollment method, see How to Join Groups from My Groups Portal.

Some Microsoft 365 Groups are public and can be joined immediately, while others are private and require approval from the group owner before membership is granted.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1	Open Outlook Open the Outlook desktop application or navigate to Outlook on the web.
2	Sign In Sign in using your work or school account if prompted.
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3	Discover Groups From the Outlook menu, select Discover Groups. Use the search box to locate a specific group or browse available groups.
4	Join the Group If the group is Public, click Join. If the group is Private, click Request to Join.
5	Receive Confirmation After joining successfully, you will receive a welcome email confirming your membership and providing access to group resources.
6	Follow Group in Inbox (Optional) Select Follow in Inbox if you want messages sent to the Microsoft 365 Group to also be delivered to your personal Outlook Inbox.

Tip: You can leave a Microsoft 365 Group at any time from the group settings in Outlook. If you are the last group owner, assign another owner before leaving.

Need Help?

If you cannot locate a Microsoft 365 Group, do not have permission to join a private group, or need assistance with group membership:

• Verify the group name with the group owner.
• Request membership approval from the group owner if the group is private.
• Review How to Join Groups from My Groups Portal for an alternate enrollment method.
• Contact the IT Help Desk if you continue to experience issues.

Joining a Microsoft 365 Group provides access to the group mailbox, shared files, calendar, conversations, and other collaboration resources.