Applies to: Exchange Server 2013

Topic Last Modified: 2012-10-14

This topic explains how to remove an address list. You can't remove the default global address list (GAL).

For additional management tasks related to address lists, see Address List Procedures.

What do you need to know before you begin?

  • Estimated time to complete each procedure: 5 minutes

  • You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure or procedures. To see what permissions you need, see the "Address list" entry in the Email Address and Address Book Permissions topic.

  • You can't remove a parent address list that contains child address lists. However, you can remove both the child and parent address lists by pressing the CTRL key on the keyboard, and then selecting the parent and child address lists. If you attempt to remove a parent address list without removing the child address lists, you'll receive an error.

  • For information about keyboard shortcuts that may apply to the procedures in this topic, see Keyboard Shortcuts in the Exchange Admin Center.

Tip:
Having problems? Ask for help in the Exchange forums. Visit the forums at: Exchange Server, Exchange Online, or Exchange Online Protection

What do you want to do?

Use the EAC to remove an address list

  1. Navigate to Organization > Address lists.

  2. In the list view, select the address list you want to remove, and then click Delete Delete Icon.

  3. In the warning, click Yes to remove the address list.

Use the Shell to remove an address list

This example removes the address list Sales Department, which doesn't contain child address lists.

Copy Code 
Remove-AddressList -Identity "Sales Department"

Type Y to confirm that you want to remove this address list, and then press ENTER.

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see Remove-AddressList.

Use the Shell to remove an address list that contains child address lists

This example removes the parent address list Departments and all its child address lists.

Copy Code 
Remove-AddressList -Identity Departments -Recursive

Type Y to confirm that you want to remove the parent address list and its child address lists, and then press ENTER.

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see Remove-AddressList.