Private items aren't displayed in a shared mailbox in Outlook

In Microsoft Outlook, items such as email messages or meeting requests that are in a shared mailbox and marked as "Private" aren't displayed in the Inbox. This behavior is by design.

Note

Only the sender can set the sensitivity level of the item. This option is unavailable in the recipient's Inbox.

Workaround

To work around this issue, use any of the following methods:

• Use Outlook on the Web (OWA).

• Add the user as a delegate to the shared mailbox who has access to private items.

  In PowerShell:

  Add-MailboxFolderPermission -Identity ayla@contoso.com:\Calendar -User laura@contoso.com -AccessRights Editor -SharingPermissionFlags Delegate,CanViewPrivateItems
  

  Note

  Although this cmdlet specifies Calendar as the target folder, it also enables you to view private items in the Inbox folder.

  In Outlook:

  1. Select File > Account Settings > Delegate Access
  2. Double-click the username of the delegate or select Add to add a new delegate.
  3. In the Delegate Permissions dialog box, select the Delegate can see my private items check box.
  4. Select OK.

• In Outlook, add the shared mailbox as an additional account by using the email address and password of the user who has permission for that mailbox.

  Make sure that automapping is removed and the mailbox is not added as an additional mailbox. To learn how to remove automapping for a shared mailbox, see How to remove automapping for a shared mailbox in Outlook for Microsoft 365.

Client and permission model behavior

Private item visibility differs depending on the client access path and permission model:

• In Outlook Classic for Windows when using the legacy MAPI access path (Cached Mode and Online Mode), private items remain hidden unless the delegate is explicitly granted permission to view private items.
• In clients that use the Exchange Online REST access path, such as Outlook on the web (OWA), new Outlook for Windows, Outlook Mobile, and Outlook Classic when operating in the REST-based shared calendar model, access granted through Full Mailbox Access can result in private items being visible.
• Administrators who want to prevent delegates from seeing private items should use the mailbox folder-level sharing permission model. Under this model, private items (for example, IPM.Note and IPM.Appointment items) remain hidden unless the CanViewPrivateItems permission is explicitly granted.