Exchange Online · View-Only & Reporting
View-Only Recipients
Read-only access to recipient and mailbox information.
Scope: Read-only recipient information
Permissions
- View mailbox properties
- View distribution group membership
- View mail contact information
- View recipient configurations
- Cannot modify any settings
Common use cases
- Directory information access
- Help desk lookup without modify
- User directory viewing
Best practices
- Use for staff needing recipient information only
- Suitable for reporting applications
Common questions
When should I assign the View-Only Recipients role?
Assign View-Only Recipients when you need to: Directory information access; Help desk lookup without modify; and User directory viewing. 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 View-Only Recipients role do?
The View-Only Recipients role grants permissions including: View mailbox properties; View distribution group membership; View mail contact information; View recipient configurations; and Cannot modify any settings. See the Permissions section above for the full list.