User not visible in global address list (GAL) in Exchange: Unable to modify MS365 setting

Question

Hello,

I have a user who is not displayed in the global address list (GAL) of Exchange. In the MS365 tenant, the option is disabeled out and I can't change it. In Active Directory, I don't have the 'msexchhidefromaddresslists' attribute. Can I do this with PowerShell, and how can I proceed, please?

Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

Hi @abderrahmane belabes ,

Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve this problem:

1. Check the User's Mailbox Settings:
   • Ensure the user's mailbox is not hidden from the address lists.

          Set-Mailbox -Identity "******@domain.com" -HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $false
     

2. Update the Offline Address Book (OAB):
   • Sometimes, the Offline Address Book might not be updated. You can force an update by running the following PowerShell command in Exchange Management Shell:

       Update-GlobalAddressList -Identity "Default Global Address List"
   

   • After updating the GAL, you can also update the OAB by running:

       Update-OfflineAddressBook -Identity "Default Offline Address Book"
   

3. Check Directory Synchronization:
   • If you are in a hybrid environment, ensure that the directory synchronization is working correctly. Verify that the user’s attributes are correctly synced from on-premises Active Directory to Azure AD.
4. Verify Attribute Values:
   • Ensure that the ShowInAddressBook attribute is populated with appropriate values. You can check this using the following PowerShell command:

       Get-User -Identity "username" | Select-Object DisplayName, ShowInAddressBook
   

5. Wait for Synchronization:
   • If the user was recently added or modified, it might take some time (up to 24-48 hours) for the changes to reflect in the GAL.

Besides, here are some threads for your refernce.

User\Name not appearing in Outlook (Global Address List)

User not showing in GAL (Hybrid Environment) - Microsoft Community

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