Table of Contents

 

Overview

  1. How is the email recipient limit changing at WSU?
    1. WSU is updating the maximum number of people you can email directly from a WSU mailbox within a rolling 24‑hour period. Under the new limit, you can send email to up to 500 total recipients per mailbox within a rolling 24 hours.
  2. When will WSU introduce the 500-recipient limit for email?
    1. The 500-recipient email limit will go into effect Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
  3. Why is WSU introducing the 500-recipient limit for email?
    1. Higher education institutions are frequent targets of cyberattacks. As a result, cyberattackers consistently work to compromise university accounts to send large volumes of malicious emails. Lowering the default email recipient limit helps:
      1. Reduce the impact of compromised accounts
      2. Limit the spread of malicious email
      3. Protect the WSU community and systems
      4. Improve WSU’s overall security posture

How the Recipient Limit Works

  1. What does a “rolling 24‑hour period” mean?
    1. A rolling 24‑hour period means that your sending limit resets exactly 24 hours after each action. Your available recipient count is restored gradually, based on when each email was sent and how many recipients each email was sent to.

      Example:
      - Monday at 9 a.m. → You send an email to 400 recipients.
      - Monday at 2 p.m. → You send an email to 100 recipients.

      You have now reached the 500-recipient limit, and sending is restricted.

      As time passes, your limit resets in parts:

      - Tuesday at 9 a.m. → The 400 recipients sent at 9 a.m. on Monday are restored.
      - Tuesday at 2 p.m. → The 100 recipients sent at 2 p.m. on Monday are restored.


  1. How do I know if an email will count toward the recipient limit?
    1. A simple rule to remember: If you pressed “Send” in Outlook, it counts.
    2. The 500-recipient limit will apply to all emails sent through Outlook (desktop app, web browser, or mobile app) via a WSU Microsoft 365 email account, including individual or shared mailboxes.
  2. What happens if I exceed the 500-recipient limit?
    1. If you reach the limit, you may temporarily be unable to send additional email from that mailbox until the rolling 24‑hour period resets. You will still be able to receive email, read email, and access your mailbox.
  3. How can I check how many recipients I have already emailed?
    1. At this time, Microsoft does not currently provide a built‑in way to view your rolling recipient count.
  4. Will Microsoft warn me before I reach the limit?
    1. At this time, Microsoft does not provide warnings when you are approaching the recipient limit.

Who Is Affected

  1. Will most WSU users be impacted?
    1. Most WSU users will not be impacted by the new 500-recipient email limit change. Typical one‑to‑one or small‑group email use remains unaffected.
  2. Which roles at WSU are most likely to be affected?
    1. This change may affect users or units who regularly send mass email directly from Outlook, including:
      1. Communications teams completing email campaigns.
      2. Faculty or teaching assistants emailing large numbers of students.
      3. Advisors emailing large numbers of students.
      4. Registered student organizations emailing large numbers of club members.
      5. Staff sending department-wide or cross-department announcements.
      6. Users who send high-volume email from shared mailboxes.

What Counts (and What Doesn't)

  1. What email activity counts toward the 500‑recipient limit?
    1. The limit applies to any email sent from a WSU mailbox through Outlook, including:
      1. Recipients in the “To”, “CC”, and “BCC” fields.
      2. Emails sent to WSU or non-WSU addresses.
      3. Emails sent from shared mailboxes.
      4. Mail merges sent from Outlook.
    2. Do replies and forwards count toward the 500-recipient limit?
      1. Replying or replying‑all to one or multiple recipients counts. Forwarding an email to one or multiple recipients also counts.
    3. What email activity does not count toward the 500-recipient limit?
      1. The limit does not apply to any email sent through a non-Outlook or third-party platform, such as:
        1. Canvas
        2. myWSU
        3. Slate
        4. Mailchimp
        5. Constant Contact
        6. Other non-Outlook email services
      2. These platforms manage email delivery on different servers and are designed for high-volume messaging, even if the email appears to come from a WSU address.
    4. How do listservs and distribution lists count toward the 500-recipient limit?
      1. Mailman listservs (@lists.wsu.edu) and Exchange distribution lists (also called distribution groups) count as one recipient, even if they include hundreds or thousands of members.
    5. How do Outlook contact groups count toward the 500-recipient limit?
      1. If you send a message to a contact group you created in Outlook, each person in the group counts as an individual recipient. For example, a contact group with 250 individuals counts as 250 recipients.

Options for High-Volume Email

  1. What is the recommended way to send messages to large groups?
    1. If you regularly communicate with large audiences, WSU recommends:
      1. Using a Mailman listserv: Request a Mailman List
      2. Using an Exchange distribution list (group)
      3. Using an approved third‑party communication platform
  2. Is there an exception process if my role at WSU requires high-volume email?
    1. WSU recognizes that some university roles and departments require sending messages to large recipient groups as part of official university responsibilities. In these cases, exceptions may be granted for university-related needs. Exception requests are reviewed by ITS.
  3. How do I request an exception?
    1. Please submit an exception request form.
  4. Can I request an exception after the 500-recipient limit is in place?
    1. Exceptions may be requested before or after implementation if your individual or department communication needs change.
  5. What if I manage or send on behalf of multiple mailboxes?
    1. Each mailbox has its own 500‑recipient limit. If you send high‑volume email from multiple mailboxes and are interested in requesting an exception, please email its.scce@wsu.edu.
  • No labels