Body
Questions
- How do I leave a Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook?
- How do I remove myself from a group in Outlook?
- How do I unsubscribe from a Microsoft 365 Group?
- I keep getting emails from a group — how do I stop them?
- Why can't I leave a group in Outlook?
- How do I stop receiving group emails without leaving the group?
- Can I leave a distribution group myself?
Environment
This article applies to current Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff who are members of a Microsoft 365 Group and want to leave it or stop receiving its email messages.
- Covered: Microsoft 365 Groups in Outlook for Windows, Outlook Online, and the Outlook mobile app
- Not covered: Microsoft 365 Distribution Groups — self-service leave is not available for distribution groups. To be removed from a distribution group, contact the group owner or submit a request through the Service Catalog.
Some Bowdoin groups cannot be left. Membership in certain groups — such as department, institutional, or role-based groups — is managed centrally and cannot be changed by individual members. If you do not see a Leave Group option, your membership in that group is required or managed by IT or your department. Contact the Service Desk at (207) 725-3030 if you have questions about a specific group.
Resolution
Before you leave
Keep two things in mind before leaving a group:
- If you are the sole owner: You cannot leave until you assign at least one other member as an owner. See Add, edit, and remove members of a Microsoft 365 Group in the Related Articles section for how to assign an owner.
- Leaving is not the same as unfollowing: If you simply want to stop receiving group emails in your inbox without losing access to the group, see the Stop receiving group emails without leaving section below — that may be all you need.
Leave a group in Outlook for Windows (new Outlook)
- Open Outlook and select Groups in the left navigation bar.
- In the left panel, select the name of the group you want to leave.
- In the toolbar near the top of the group panel, click Group Settings.
- Select Leave Group from the drop-down menu.
- Click Leave to confirm.
Shortcut: In the left panel, you can also right-click the group name and select Leave Group directly.
Leave a group in Outlook Online (browser)
- Sign in to Outlook Online at outlook.office.com.
- Select Groups in the left navigation bar.
- Click the name of the group you want to leave.
- Click the Group Settings icon (gear) or the three-dot (…) menu near the group name.
- Select Leave Group and confirm.
Leave a group in the Outlook mobile app (iPhone or Android)
- Open the Outlook app and tap the Home icon.
- If prompted, tap your Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account to make sure it is the active account.
- Tap Groups from the navigation menu.
- Tap the name of the group you want to leave.
- Tap the group settings icon (gear or three dots).
- Select Leave Group and confirm.
Stop receiving group emails without leaving
If you want to stay in the group but stop receiving its messages in your personal inbox, you can change your follow preference instead of leaving:
- In Outlook, navigate to the group using the steps above.
- Click Group Settings.
- Select Edit Group preferences or look for a Follow in inbox toggle.
- Turn off Follow in inbox (or select Not following).
With this setting turned off, group messages will still be stored in the group's shared inbox, which you can visit at any time — they just will not be delivered to your personal inbox automatically.
Can't find the Leave Group option? If the option is missing, one of the following applies: you are the sole owner and must assign another owner first; your membership is managed by IT or your department and cannot be changed by individual members; or the group type is a Distribution Group rather than a Microsoft 365 Group. Contact the Service Desk for assistance.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources