Set-Mailbox Permissions in Exchange Server Using Powershell

Do you need to set mailbox permissions in Exchange Server using Powershell? Perhaps you want to give someone access to your calendar, or you need to provide them full access to your mailbox. Let’s get started! 

In this article, I will show you how to set mailbox permissions in Exchange Server using Powershell. I will walk you through the process so you can get up and running quickly.

This how-to applies for Exchange Server on-premises or Exchange Server online (Office365)

In the Exchange Server Admin Console (ECP), you can easily share the whole mailbox with someone. It’s an easy task. However, most users only want to share the calendar, contacts, or any other folder with a co-worker. They also want to restrict the permission. Unfortunately, in ECP, you are unable to perform such tasks. The solution is using Powershell, and it is not even that complicated.

Powershell commands are easy to understand. You need to know the syntax.

Exchange Management Shell

The Exchange Management Shell is a program that helps you set mailbox permissions for people. You can use it to give someone access to your calendar or full access to your mailbox. It’s not that complicated to use, and the commands are easy to understand.

The Exchange Management Shell is included in the installation if you use Exchange Server on-premises. Please make sure to start the app with Administrator rights.

If you’re using Exchange Server online (Office365), you can find it by following these instructions. The method is different. It’s not part of the scope of this article; please read this article I found about how to connect best to Exchange Online with Powershell.

Set Mailbox Permissions: Powershell commands you need to know.

• Get-MailboxFolderpermission
• Add-MailboxFolderpermission
• Set-MailboxFolderpermission
• Remove-MailboxFolderpermission

The basic syntax for each command

Powershell command, i.e., Add-MailboxFolderpermission

-identity is the user who wants to permit with the folder name

-user is the user who gets the permission

-AcessRights are the rights you grant

For example, a command could be

Add-MailboxFolderpermission -identity test.labcenter@interwatt.ch\Calendar -user edy.werder@interwatt.ch -AccessRight Editor

So the user Edy Werder receives Calendar Permission for the Mailbox Test.Labcenter. The Role ist Editor

Get-MailboxFolderpermission

Use this PowerShell cmdlet to check a mailbox folder’s permissions.

Get-MailboxFolderpermission -identity test.labcenter@interwatt.ch\Calendar

Add-MailboxFolderpermission

Add-MailboxFolderpermission -identity test.labcenter@interwatt.ch\Calendar -user edy.werder@interwatt.ch -AccessRight Editor

Use this cmdlet for adding new permission to a mailbox folder.

Set-MailboxFolderpermission

If you want to modify an existing mailbox folder permission, use this Powershell cmdlet

Set-MailboxFolderpermission -identity test.labcenter@interwatt.ch\Calendar -user edy.werder@interwatt.ch -AccessRight Editor

Remove-MailboxFolderpermission

And lastly, with this Powershell cmdlet, you can remove user permission for a folder.

Remove-MailboxFolderpermission -identity test.labcenter@interwatt.ch\Calendar -user edy.werder@interwatt.ch

If you want to modify an existing mailbox folder permission, use this Powershell cmdlet

Choosing the AccessRights

There are two ways to grant access rights to a folder. You can grant individual permission or assign a predefined role. I recommend setting roles only. It is a lot more convenient to handle and keep an overview.

Here is an excerpt of all the roles possible from the Microsoft knowledge base. 

• Author: CreateItems, DeleteOwnedItems, EditOwnedItems, FolderVisible, ReadItems
• Contributor: CreateItems, FolderVisible
• Editor: CreateItems, DeleteAllItems, DeleteOwnedItems, EditAllItems, EditOwnedItems, FolderVisible, ReadItems
• NonEditingAuthor: CreateItems, DeleteOwnedItems, FolderVisible, ReadItems
• Owner: CreateItems, CreateSubfolders, DeleteAllItems, DeleteOwnedItems, EditAllItems, EditOwnedItems, FolderContact, FolderOwner, FolderVisible, ReadItems
• PublishingAuthor: CreateItems, CreateSubfolders, DeleteOwnedItems, EditOwnedItems, FolderVisible, ReadItems
• PublishingEditor: CreateItems, CreateSubfolders, DeleteAllItems, DeleteOwnedItems, EditAllItems, EditOwnedItems, FolderVisible, ReadItems
• Reviewer: FolderVisible, ReadItems

For the calendar, there are two additional roles 

• AvailabilityOnly: View only availability data
• LimitedDetails: View availability data with subject and location

Grant Access to more than one user

The best is to create a mail-enabled AD group. You need to make this group in ECP (Exchange Admin Center), recipients, groups, and create a new security group. In this way, Exchange also assigns an email address to the group. After, you can add individual members to the group. Unfortunately, Exchange will not recognize nested groups. 

Alternatively, create the group with Powershell. Here is a Howto.

Creating the group in ECP is much easier since you can specify the OU and add the users to the group.

Does the user need to add the folder manually?

Yes, the user needs to add the folder manually. For example, see how the calendar can be added.

Open Outlook and go to the Calendar view. On the Home tab, in the Managed Calendar group, click Open Calendar, click “from Address Book,” and look up the search.

The Calendar will appear in the “Shared Calendar” section on the left side.

To summarize: how to set mailbox permissions

Now that you know how to set mailbox permissions in Exchange Server using Powershell, it’s easy to give other users access to your calendar or any other folders. You can also restrict the permission they have. Just remember the basic syntax for each of the Powershell commands, and you’ll be able to get up and running quickly.

Did you find this article useful for your work? If yes, please leave a comment below. You can also reach me by email at info@edywerder.ch.

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