Create a Distribution List in Office 365 - EAC & PowerShell

If you don't know how to create distribution list then this post is for you. Here you will know a quick method to create one using Exchange admin center and PowerShell method.

Distribution group is create for sending same message to multiple recipients. The following steps helpful to create, modify and delete distribution group in Microsoft 365.

You can also watch the video to know the complete steps.

Exchange admin center creation step for Distribution list

Before creating distribution group ensure that you have admin access and permission to create a group in Microsoft 365.

• Let’s login to Office 365 and open Microsoft 365 admin center.
• Now click on Show all and open Exchange admin center.
• Under the recipient, click on groups.
• Then go to Distribution tab and click on Add group.
• Select Distribution in group type then Next.
• Type a name for Distribution group then next.
• Click on Assign owners.
• Search a name and select it.
• Now add members to the distribution list. You can select multiple users at once.
• Click next.
• Here you need to define Group email address. Also check the domain name as well. If you have listed multiple.
• Let’s choose the filter.

Communication: if you want to allow outsiders to send email to this group then check the box otherwise leave it.

• Next is joining group.

Open option allows to anyone join this group without any approval.

Closed option allows only group owner to add member.

Owner approval option allows anyone to send request for joining the group and owner must approve the request.

• Next filter is leaving the group.

With open, anyone can leave the group without owner approval.

While close option never let anyone to leave without admin approval.

• When you are done with above then click on Next.
• Now review the details then click on Create group.
• Now it is successfully created.
• Click on Close.

Once distribution list is successfully created then you can modify and delete when you need.

To modify the list, just click on the group. While deleting the group, just select it and press on three dop (right hand side) then choose delete group.

How to setup distribution list using PowerShell?

As an IT administrator, may be powershell is much easier for you to setup a group in Office 365. So if you want to use PowerShell then you can follow the below codes.

Open PowerShell as an administrator and connect with Exchange online.

Connect-ExchangeOnline

Note Run below command after changing highlighted areas.

Create a Distribution List (Distribution Group)

New-DistributionGroup -Name "Distribution group name" -Alias Distributiongroup-PrimarySmtpAddress distributoingroup@yourdomain.com -Type Distribution

Add single user to the list

Add-DistributionGroupMember -Identity "Distribution group name" -Member Sam@yourdomain.com

Add Multiple Users from CSV

Open Excle and write each user email address correctly then save as .csv file format.

EmailAddress

user1@yourdomain.com

user2@yourdomain.com

user3@yourdomain.com

$members = Import-Csv "C:\somit\users.csv"

foreach ($m in $members) {

    Add-DistributionGroupMember -Identity "Distribution group name" -Member $m.EmailAddress

}

How to delete distribution group in Exchange?

Run below command to remove distribution list.

Remove-DistributionGroup -Identity "Distribution group name"

Remove single user from list

Remove-DistributionGroupMember -Identity "Distribution group name" -Member sam@yourdomain.com

Remove multiple members from list (create CSV file as define above and paste a location on command)

$members = Import-Csv "C:\somit\remove.csv"

foreach ($m in $members) {

    Remove-DistributionGroupMember -Identity "Distribution group name" -Member $m.EmailAddress -Confirm:$false

}

Conclusion

In this article, I have described every step required to create a distribution list in Office 365, including how to modify and delete it. For more information, feel free to leave a comment or contact me