How to Create an Email Distribution List in Outlook (New Outlook, Web, Classic and Mac)

To create an email distribution list in the new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, go to People, select the arrow next to New contact, choose New contact list, name it, add email addresses and select Create. In classic Outlook for Windows, go to People > Home > New Contact Group, add members and select Save & Close. To email everyone, type the list name in the To field.

Microsoft now calls these personal lists contact lists (classic Outlook called them contact groups, and many people still say "distribution list"). Below are the exact steps for each version of Outlook as of October 2026, checked against Microsoft's support pages, plus how to send, edit and share a list, and the sending limits that apply.

Contact list, distribution list or Microsoft 365 group?

Three different things hide behind "distribution list" in Outlook. Pick the right one before you start:

Microsoft explains the difference in Microsoft 365 groups vs contact lists and compare groups. Most people searching for "how to create a distribution list in Outlook" want the first one, a contact list.

How to create a distribution list in the new Outlook for Windows

1. Open the new Outlook and select People in the left side panel.
2. On the toolbar, select the arrow next to New contact, then New contact list.
3. Enter a name for the list.
4. Add names or email addresses. You can only add contacts that have an email address.
5. Select Create.

Faster when the contacts already exist: select one or more contacts in People, choose Add to list (on the toolbar or by right-clicking), then New contact list.

Lists are saved in your default Contacts folder and appear under All contact lists (Microsoft guide).

How to create a contact list in Outlook on the web and Outlook.com

The steps are the same as in the new Outlook: People > arrow next to New contact > New contact list > name > members > Create. This works for work or school accounts in Outlook on the web and for personal Outlook.com accounts.

One catch: Microsoft says you need to sign in to Outlook.com from a desktop browser to create a contact list; the mobile browser version can't do it (Microsoft help).

How to create a contact group in classic Outlook for Windows

Classic Outlook (Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2024 and 2021) still uses the "contact group" name:

1. In the navigation bar, select People.
2. Select Home > New Contact Group.
3. Type a name for the group.
4. Select Add Members, then choose From Outlook Contacts, From Address Book or New E-mail Contact.
5. Select the people to add (hold Ctrl to pick several) and select OK.
6. Select Save & Close.

Source: Create a contact group in Outlook. Microsoft describes the new Outlook's contact lists as what were "formerly referred to as Contact Groups in classic Outlook", and both are stored in your Contacts folder.

How to create a contact list in Outlook for Mac

In the new Outlook for Mac:

1. Select People in the side navigation bar.
2. Select the Contacts folder of the right account, hover over New Contact and select New Contact List.
3. Type a name for the list.
4. Under Add members, type an email address and select Add. Repeat for each person.
5. Select Save.

In legacy Outlook for Mac the path is People > Home > New Contact List, then Save & Close. Microsoft notes that support for legacy Outlook for Mac ends in October 2026, so switch to the new version if you haven't. If New Contact List is greyed out with a POP or IMAP account, turn on Show On my Computer folders and create the list there (Microsoft guide for Mac).

Can you create a contact list in the Outlook mobile app?

Microsoft's help pages don't document creating contact lists in Outlook for iOS or Android. Create the list in the new Outlook, on the web or on Mac instead.

How to send an email to a distribution list in Outlook

1. Select New mail (classic Outlook: Home > New Email).
2. In the To field, start typing the list name and pick it from the suggestions. In classic Outlook, contact groups appear in bold.
3. Write your message and select Send.

To hide recipients from each other, put your own address in To and the list in Bcc. In classic Outlook, show the Bcc field with Options > Show Fields > Bcc. Microsoft confirms that a personal list name in the To box can be expanded by recipients, which reveals every address (Microsoft help).

How to edit or delete a contact list

• New Outlook and web: go to People > All contact lists, select the list and choose Edit to rename it, add or remove members (the x next to an address) or add a description, then Save. To remove it, select Delete and confirm.
• Classic Outlook: double-click the group in your contacts, add or remove members from the ribbon, then select Save & Close. Right-click the group and choose Delete to remove it.

Deleting a list never deletes the contacts in it. Note that the new Outlook does not support sharing contact lists yet; classic Outlook can still forward a contact group to a colleague.

How to create a distribution list for your whole organization

If you're a Microsoft 365 admin and need a real distribution list with its own address (for example sales@yourcompany.com):

1. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to Teams and groups > Active teams and groups (select Show all if you don't see it).
2. Open the Distribution list tab and select + Add a distribution list.
3. Enter a name and description, then Next.
4. Assign owners, then add members.
5. Enter the group email address. Tick Allow people outside of my organization to send email to this Distribution group only if outsiders need to reach it.
6. Review and select Create group.

Source: Create a distribution list in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Admins can also do it in the Exchange admin center under Recipients > Groups. Since August 2023, users can no longer manage distribution groups from Outlook on the web.

Outlook sending limits for distribution lists

Lists don't let you get around Microsoft's limits. For business accounts on Exchange Online (official limits):

Personal Outlook.com accounts have lower limits; for Microsoft 365 subscribers Microsoft lists 5,000 recipients per day, 500 per message and 1,000 "non-relationship" recipients per day (people you've never emailed), with lower limits for new accounts and non-subscribers (Outlook.com sending limits).

Should you use an Outlook distribution list for sales or marketing emails?

No. Microsoft itself says Exchange Online "isn't suited to accommodate bulk-mailing scenarios" and recommends specialized providers for legitimate bulk commercial email. Distribution lists are built for internal and recurring communication: a team, a board, a project, a club.

For prospecting, the problems pile up quickly:

• One identical message to everyone reads as spam and gets low reply rates. Prospects respond to short, personal emails, ideally followed up individually (see our follow-up email templates after no response).
• One bad address hurts everyone. Unverified addresses bounce, and a high bounce rate damages your domain's reputation. Verify addresses first with an email finder and verifier.
• Bulk sender rules. Gmail, Yahoo and Microsoft now require SPF, DKIM and DMARC authentication from high-volume senders. Our guide to email warmup tools explains the requirements, and our cold email tips cover what to write.

For outbound sales, a sequencing tool is the right instrument: useArtemis sends personalized emails from your own Outlook, Gmail or SMTP mailbox at a human pace, mixes them with LinkedIn steps, and centralizes replies in one inbox.

FAQ

What is the difference between a contact group and a distribution list in Outlook?

A contact group (called a contact list in the new Outlook and on the web) is a personal list stored in your own contacts; only you can use it. A distribution list (distribution group) is created by an admin in Microsoft 365 or Exchange, has its own email address, and anyone in the organization can email it.

How many people can be in an Outlook distribution list?

Microsoft doesn't publish a member limit for personal contact lists, but every member counts toward your sending limits: 500 recipients per message by default (up to 1,000) and 10,000 recipients per day on Exchange Online. Organization distribution groups can have up to 100,000 members.

Can I create a distribution list in the Outlook app on my phone?

Microsoft doesn't document this for Outlook for iOS or Android, and Outlook.com in a mobile browser asks you to use a desktop browser. Create the list on a computer; you can then use it from any device signed in to the same account.

How do I send an email to a distribution list without showing all the addresses?

Add your own address in the To field and the contact list in Bcc. Recipients then see only your address. If you put a personal contact list in To or Cc, recipients can expand it and see every member.

Can I share a contact list in the new Outlook?

Not yet: Microsoft states that the new Outlook does not support sharing contact lists. Classic Outlook still lets you forward a contact group. For a list several people need to use, ask your admin for a distribution list or a Microsoft 365 group.