Exchange Online · Organization Management
Help Desk
Members can view and manage the configuration for individual recipients and view recipients in the Exchange organization. Limited to settings that users can manage on their own mailbox.
Scope: User-level mailbox management and troubleshooting
Permissions
- Reset Password - Reset room mailbox passwords
- User Options - View and modify Outlook on the web options
- View-Only Recipients - View recipient properties
Common use cases
- First-line email support
- User mailbox troubleshooting
- Viewing user mailbox configuration
- Modifying settings users can manage themselves
Best practices
- Combine with Entra ID Helpdesk Administrator for full password resets
- Train support staff on scope limitations
- Use for Tier 1 support only
- Escalate complex issues to Recipient Management
Security considerations
- Cannot create or delete mailboxes
- Cannot modify mailbox database locations
- Cannot access mailbox content - view only
Common questions
When should I assign the Help Desk role?
Assign Help Desk when you need to: First-line email support; User mailbox troubleshooting; Viewing user mailbox configuration; and Modifying settings users can manage themselves. It is part of Exchange Online and should be granted as a least-privilege alternative to broader roles like Global Administrator.
What can someone with the Help Desk role do?
The Help Desk role grants permissions including: Reset Password - Reset room mailbox passwords; User Options - View and modify Outlook on the web options; and View-Only Recipients - View recipient properties. See the Permissions section above for the full list.
What are the security risks of the Help Desk role?
Key considerations when assigning Help Desk: Cannot create or delete mailboxes; Cannot modify mailbox database locations; and Cannot access mailbox content - view only. Review the Security considerations section before assignment, and pair with Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for just-in-time access where possible.