Share a contact group or distribution list with others

You can send a contact group (formerly called a distribution list) to others by including it in a message. The recipient can then save it in their Contacts folder.

Send a contact group or distribution list

1. Open a new message. If you're using Outlook 2016 or 2013, rather than keep the draft message open in the reading pane, use the popout button to open the message in a new window. 

2. Do one of the following depending on your version of Outlook.

   • In Outlook 2016 or 2013, select People from the navigation bar.
      

   • In Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2007, select Contacts. 

3. Drag the contact group from Contacts into the message body.

   Note: You may need to adjust the message and the Contacts window so that they're visible at the same time.

4. Send the message.

Note: If you want to send a contact group to someone, and the contact group contains members from the Global Address List, be sure that the recipient of the contact group also uses that same Global Address List.

Save a contact group or distribution list

• In the Reading Pane or message list, drag the distribution list attachment to the Navigation Pane and drop it on the Contacts or People buttons.

• Drag the distribution list attachment from the message into an open Contacts view. This requires you to have both the message and the Contacts folder open at the same time.

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See also

Create a contact group or distribution list in Outlook