How To Create A Distribution List In Outlook

What Are Outlook Distribution Lists?

A distribution list—also known as a contact group in newer versions of Outlook—is a reusable collection of email addresses. It lets you send a message to multiple people without entering each address manually. This is especially useful for teams, clubs, or any group you email regularly.

Instead of using the To, Cc, or Bcc fields individually, which can be tedious and may expose recipients' addresses, you can simply send one message to the group. Outlook has supported this feature since Office 2007, and the following sections will show you how to use it effectively.

How to Create a Distribution List in Outlook Desktop App

Let’s take a closer look at how to make a distribution list in Outlook on Mac, Windows, and the web. For the most part, the process is very similar across all platforms, but there are some minor yet important differences you need to know about.

Creating a Distribution List in Outlook on Mac

The creation of a distribution list in the Mac version of Microsoft’s mail client is complicated by the fact that Microsoft released the so-called New Outlook client a few years ago.

The redesigned version of Outlook is easier to use and comes with multiple useful improvements, but it’s still missing some features that were included in the legacy version of Outlook, with distribution groups being among them.

Fortunately, it’s not difficult to learn how to revert back to the legacy version of Outlook, so make sure to do that before you follow the steps below:

1. Launch Outlook.
2. Click the People icon at the bottom of the left pane.
3. Click the New Contact List button in the top toolbar.
4. Name the new contact list and double-click the empty list below to add as many recipients as you want.
5. Click the Save icon.

Make sure to click the “Use Bcc to hide member information” checkbox if you don’t want your recipients to know about one another.

Making a Distribution List in Outlook on Windows

To make a distribution group in Outlook on Windows:

1. Launch Outlook.
2. Choose the People image at the bottom.
3. Click the small arrow next to New Contact and select the Contact Group option.
4. Name the new contact group and double-click the empty list below to add as many recipients as you want.
5. Click Save & Close.

How to Create a Distribution List in Outlook 365

The web version of Outlook also supports distribution lists, and here’s how you can create one:

1. Open Outlook 365 in your web browser and log in.
2. Choose the People icon in the left pane.
3. Click the arrow next to New contact and select the New contact list.
4. Name the new contact list and add email addresses.
5. Click Create when done.

As you can see, creating a distribution list in Outlook on the web isn’t too different from creating one on Windows or Mac.

How to Test a Distribution List

Once you’ve created a distribution list on the platform of your choice, you should test it to see if it works as intended. To do that:

1. Launch Outlook.
2. Create a new message.
3. Enter the name of the mailing list you want to test in the “to” field.
4. Send the message.

You can use this same exact process to test a mailing list on any platform.

Manage Your Outlook Messages Better with Clean Email

If you often email groups in Outlook, keeping your inbox organized can be a challenge. Clean Email helps you stay in control of your inbox by managing what happens after the responses arrive.

You can automatically sort or archive messages from specific distribution list members using Auto Clean. Just add all the members to the rule, choose an action, and hit Create Rule.

The rules are triggered automatically whenever a new message matching specified conditions arrives in your inbox, making it possible for you to essentially run it on autopilot.

If you want more control, Clean Email’s Sender Settings let you define how messages from each person are handled—mute, move, label, or delete them automatically based on your preferences.

The app also automatically groups related emails into Smart Folders based on criteria like sender, subject, or mailing list. This makes it easy to review and manage messages in bulk, rather than dealing with them one by one.

These and many other useful features (such as Unsubscriber, Screener, or Privacy Monitor) are available not only to Outlook users but also to those using Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, and most other major email services, with full support across macOS, web, iOS, and Android platforms.