Share via

Exchange Online: Change Primary SMTP Address without changing Sign-In address

  • Article

By default, when you mail-enable a user, that user will be given an e-mail address that matches the user’s online services id. You can always add other e-mail addresses, using Exchange Control Panel:

SNAG-00324

As you can see, it is not possible to change the primary e-mail address using this Exchange Control Panel, when you change the user its online services id, the primary e-mail address will match the new online services id… so:

Question

Is it possible to change the primary e-mail address of a user without changing it’s online services id?

Answer

Yes, by looking here:

http://community.office365.com/en-us/w/administration/changing-primary-smtp-address-without-changing-the-microsoft-online-services-id.aspx

You can see that by using the Exchange Shell, it’s fairly easy to change the primary e-mail address without changing the Microsoft online services id.

But….isn’t there an easier way?

And, yes there is…using the Exchange Management Console

You can install the Exchange Management tools on a Windows 7, as described here: Install the Exchange 2010 Management Tools

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb232090.aspx

SNAG-00331

After installing the required windows components, I am ready to Retry:

SNAG-00333

SNAG-00334

SNAG-00335

When launching the Exchange Management Console, I get an error that he is unable to connect to an On Premises Exchange environment, but I can right-click and select Add Exchange Forest:

SNAG-00337

And chose to select to Exchange Online:

SNAG-00338

And there I can see the mailboxes in my Online environment:

SNAG-00342

When going to the properties of my mailbox, I can select the tab E-Mail Addresses,

SNAG-00343

click on ilse@vancriekinge.be, and click Set as Reply:

SNAG-00345

Time to test:

SNAG-00349

Primary E-Mail address has changed, and the Online Services id hasn’t Smile

Ilse

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Excellent article, will be very useful to the community, congratulations

  • Anonymous
    February 06, 2013
    I'd be interested in using the Exchange Management Console, but as an Office365 subscriber only, I don't have an installation CD from which to pull the Management Console.  Is it available elsewhere?  I can't seem to find a straight answer.

  • Anonymous
    February 19, 2013
    I second Thomas's comment as I'm in the same situation. On Office 365 without a CD to install the Management Console with, can it be downloaded somewhere?

  • Anonymous
    February 27, 2013
    You can download the complete Exchange DVD here: www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx.  You have to go through the entire install process, selecting only "Management Tools" during the custom install.

  • Anonymous
    April 06, 2014
    You can always download Remote Server Access Tools (RSAT), which is a great idea for your Windows 7 station anyway.

  • Anonymous
    December 03, 2015
    The comment has been removed