Streamlined communication is essential for both personal and professional purposes. Among the many tools that facilitate this is the Global Address List.
A Global Address List (GAL) is an essential component in enterprise-level systems, particularly those used in large organizations or institutions. It is a comprehensive directory service that contains all the email addresses and distribution lists of every individual associated with the organization.
In this article, we will learn more about the Global Address List (GAL), how to create a GAL, how to view the Global Address List, and how to sync the GAL.
In short, this article will shed light on everything you need to know about the Global Address List.
Key Takeaways:
- The Global Address List (GAL) is a company-wide contact list. It contains all the company’s contact details (employees), plus essential contacts like external partners or clients.
- If you work for an organization that uses email tools like Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 (Outlook), you probably have access to the GAL.
- The Global Address List is the organization’s Exchange directory of mail-enabled recipients. Classic Outlook in Cached Exchange Mode can also use an Offline Address Book, or OAB, which is a downloadable copy of address-list information that remains available when Outlook is offline. The OAB is not a separate type of GAL.
- You can sync the global address list using CiraSync and CiraHub.
TL;DR
The Global Address List, or GAL, is an organization-managed Exchange address list containing mail-enabled recipients selected by its recipient filter. In classic Outlook, go to Home > Find > Address Book or press Ctrl + Shift + B, then select Global Address List. In new Outlook for Windows, create a new message and select To, Cc, or Bcc to open the address book and search the organizational directory.
Administrators can create custom GALs with New-GlobalAddressList. In Exchange Online, the required Address Lists role is not assigned to any role group by default.
Exchange Online generates Offline Address Books every 8 hours, so classic Outlook clients using a cached OAB may not immediately reflect directory changes. Mobile devices can search organizational directory information, but directory entries are not automatically copied into users’ personal contact folders.
What is the Global Address List?
The Global Address List (GAL) is an electronic address book that contains information about users, groups, distribution lists, and other resources within an organization. It lists every employee and department, including email addresses, photos, phone numbers, work titles, office locations, and more. It is used in Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365).
Unlike personal contact lists or address books that individual users maintain, a GAL is centrally managed. It provides a consistent directory of contact information accessible by all users in the organization.
The GAL is managed by Exchange or Microsoft 365 and is available through supported Outlook and Exchange address-book experiences. The exact access method depends on the client and environment.
| Attribute | Global Address List | Offline Address Book | Outlook Contacts |
| Managed by | Exchange or Microsoft 365 administrators | Generated by Exchange and downloaded by Outlook | Typically the individual user or an organizational sync workflow |
| Purpose | Organization directory | Offline copy of assigned address-list information | Saved contact records in the user’s mailbox |
| Location | Exchange or Microsoft 365 directory | Cached on the Outlook client | User’s mailbox |
| Contents | Mail-enabled recipients selected by the GAL filter | Snapshot of included address lists | Contacts saved or synchronized into the contact folder |
| Available offline | No live directory access | Yes | Yes, depending on client and account sync |
| User editable | No | No | Usually yes |
Global Address List vs. Outlook Contact List: What’s the Difference?
The Global Address List (GAL) is your company’s directory managed by IT. It includes every employee, distribution group, and shared contact in your organization
The Outlook Contact List, on the other hand, is your personal collection of contacts that you’ve added manually or saved from emails. It’s only visible to you unless you share it. These contacts can include colleagues you’ve copied from the GAL, plus external contacts like clients, vendors, and personal connections.
Global Address List vs. Offline Global Address List: What’s the Difference?
The Global Address List (GAL) is the live, always-up-to-date company directory stored on your organization’s Exchange server. So when you search for someone in Outlook while connected to the internet, you’re pulling straight from that master list.
The Offline Global Address List (OAB) is a copy of the GAL you’ve downloaded and saved on your computer. You can still look up coworkers without internet or when the server can’t be reached, but it may not reflect the very latest changes until it syncs again.
Check out our guide explaining how to export the offline global address list and access it offline.
Global Address List vs Personal Contact List: What’s the Difference?
Personal contact lists are a compilation of personal or business contacts, which can be stored in digital or physical formats. A GAL contains the mail-enabled recipients selected by its recipient filter. Depending on the organization, this can include user mailboxes, groups, shared mailboxes, resources, and mail contacts representing external people.
What is the Global Address List Used For?
A GAL includes individuals’ email addresses, photos, names, job titles, office locations, and phone numbers. It may also incorporate distribution lists, which are email addresses that send messages to groups of people, and public folders, which are shared spaces for storing files, contacts, and calendars accessible to anyone in an organization.
Its primary functions include:
1. Centralized Directory:
A GAL serves as a centralized directory of all email users, phone numbers, contacts, groups, photos, and other data within organizations. This helps to ensure uniformity and eliminates the need for individual users to maintain separate address books.
2. Streamlined Email Communication:
When a user wishes to email someone within the organization but doesn’t know their email address, the GAL comes to the rescue. Users can search for the person’s name and get their email address, ensuring that communication remains seamless.
3. Meeting Invitations and Calendar Functions:
Users can schedule meetings, video calls, or other appointments by sending calendar invites to others. The GAL facilitates this process by providing easy access to participants’ contact details.
4. Maintaining Updated Information:
The GAL is maintained by IT administrators or a designated team within an organization. This means it can be updated whenever a person’s role, department, or contact details change. This helps to ensure that the contact information remains current and reduces misdirected communications.
5. Security and Control:
With a GAL, organizations have greater control over who can access their address lists. It ensures that only authorized people within the organization can view and use the list, enhancing security and privacy.
6. Distribution Lists and Group Emails:
GALs enable the creation of distribution lists, which are essentially groups of users. If a person wants to email an entire department or team, they don’t need to add each recipient manually.
How to Create a Global Address List
Creating a GAL requires administrative rights in the Exchange environment. By default, the Address List role is not assigned to any role groups in Exchange Online. You need to add this role to a role group to use any cmdlets that require it
Syntax for Creating a GAL: Use the following command syntax in PowerShell: New-GlobalAddressList -Name “<GAL Name>” [<Precanned recipient filter | Custom recipient filter>]
Examples:
With a Precanned Recipient Filter: For example, to create a GAL named “Contoso GAL” with a filter for all recipient types where the company value is Contoso, use the command: New-GlobalAddressList -Name “Contoso GAL” -IncludedRecipients AllRecipients -ConditionalCompany Contoso
With a Custom Recipient Filter: For a custom recipient filter, like creating a GAL named “Agency A GAL” for all recipient types where the CustomAttribute15 property contains the value ‘AgencyA’, use the following command: New-GlobalAddressList -Name “Agency A GAL” -RecipientFilter “CustomAttribute15 -like ‘*AgencyA*’
Verifying the Creation of Your GAL
After creating a GAL, verify it by running the following command in Exchange Online PowerShell: Get-GlobalAddressList -Identity “<GAL Name>” | Format-List Name,RecipientFilterType,RecipientFilter,IncludedRecipients,Conditional.
Note: Replace <GAL Name> with the name of your GAL.
How to View a Global Address List?
The GAL can be accessed from any client that connects to Microsoft Exchange, such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook web app (OWA). Depending on the client, the steps to access the GAL differ slightly.
Here is how to view the GAL on Outlook:
Launch Outlook Desktop.
1. Click the People icon in the navigation panel in the bottom-left corner of the window. (See figure below.) Outlook will display in People view.
2. Click Address Book in the ribbon at the top of the window.
3. The Address Book should open. (See figure below.)
NOTE: The Address Book defaults to the GAL of the associated Outlook account. To switch between address books, click the drop-down arrow under Address Book.
Viewing the GAL in Outlook on the Web (OWA)
- Launch Outlook on your web browser.
- Click the People icon in the navigation panel in the bottom-left corner of the window. (See figure below.)
- Click Directory > Default Global Address List.
Viewing the GAL in New Outlook for Windows
- Select New mail.
- Select To, Cc, or Bcc.
- The address book opens.
- Search for the person, group, or address you need from your organization’s directory.
For large online address lists, search by name or email address rather than relying on complete browsing.
Can You Use the GAL Offline?
Yes, it is possible for Exchange users to access the GAL offline. The Offline Address Book (OAB) feature in Exchange allows users to access a snapshot of the GAL offline.
Once downloaded, users can search for and access information about other users, even if they’re not connected to the corporate network. The offline global address list is updated every 8 hours.
How to Change the Default Global Address List in Outlook
To change the default Global Address List in Outlook, use the following steps:
1. In Outlook, select the Address Book icon. This can be done in different versions of Outlook. For instance, in Outlook 2010, 2013, and 2016, you can click on the Address Book icon on the right side of the Home tab in the Ribbon.
2. Click Tools, then Options.
3. Select “Global Address List” from the dropdown box under “When opening the address book, show this address list first:”
4. Click OK.
GAL Search and Contact Sync with Exchange ActiveSync
Supported Exchange-connected mobile clients can search organizational directory information, while Exchange ActiveSync can synchronize contacts stored in a user’s mailbox contact folders.
These are different functions. Exchange ActiveSync does not automatically copy the organization’s entire Global Address List into every user’s personal Contacts folder or native phone address book.
If a user manually saves an organizational contact into their personal Outlook Contacts folder, that saved contact can synchronize with supported devices according to the account and device configuration.
However, that saved contact is a separate contact record and is not a continuously maintained copy of the original GAL entry.
Organizations that need selected GAL contacts to remain synchronized automatically across users and devices need a centrally managed contact-synchronization workflow.
GAL Search vs Native Synced Contacts on Mobile
Supported Exchange-connected mobile clients can search organizational directory information, but directory search is different from automatically storing the entire GAL as personal contacts on the device.
For organizations that need selected GAL entries maintained as synchronized contact records, CiraSync provides centrally managed contact synchronization. CiraSync Cloud can synchronize selected GAL data into users’ Exchange mailbox contact folders, while current CiraSync offerings also include device-delivery options such as Native Sync and Mobile Direct for supported deployments.
These approaches are designed to make managed directory contacts available on iPhone and Android without requiring employees to manually save individual GAL entries. The exact device behavior depends on the selected CiraSync delivery method and device configuration.
How to Sync the GAL Between Two Tenants
Synchronizing GALs between two tenants can be a complex task, especially if these are two separate organizations. Typically, you should do this during a merger or acquisition. You can use a third-party automatic sync tool like CiraHub to sync GAL information between tenants.
Prepare both tenants:
Ensure that you have admin rights to both tenants and that the domains involved are verified in both tenants.
We know how difficult this might sound, but we wrote an easy tutorial on how to sync the GAL between two tenants.
However, keep in mind that this sync is only one-way. For instance, only Tenant A Gal will sync to Tenant B, not vice versa. Luckily, third-party tools allow you to sync GALs in two directions or more.
How to Multi-Way Sync Multiple Global Address Lists
When working with multiple GALs, e.g., across different Exchange deployments or Microsoft 365 tenants, they must be synced to provide a unified directory.
In organizations undergoing major transitions, such as mergers and acquisitions, managing GALs across multiple tenants can be complex and time-consuming. With subsidiaries in several regions, larger companies will maintain separate IT departments, creating data silos that hinder information sharing and effective collaboration.
In this case, the best solution is to use a tool that can sync multiple global address lists, and the one we recommend is CiraHub.
CiraHub helps organizations automate and simplify their two-way GAL sync within the same or multiple tenants. By syncing GAL to GAL data with CiraHub, users from any tenant gain access to contact information for all other tenants, email addresses, titles, phone numbers, and more.
This comprehensive article covers steps to two-way sync multiple GALs using CiraHub.
How to Find Someone in a GAL
Whether you’re navigating an enterprise-level email system or trying to find a colleague’s contact details, knowing how to access and search the GAL is essential.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding someone in the Global Address List:
- Launch Your Email Client: If using Microsoft Outlook, open the application.
- 2. Access the Address Book: Go to the Home Click on Address Book.
- 3. Select the Global Address List: Once the address book is open, you will see a list at the top right, where you can select the address you want to search.
- 4. Search for the Person: In the ‘Search’ box, begin typing the name of the person you’re trying to find. The list will dynamically narrow down the choices as you type.
- View Details: Double-click on their name once you locate the person you’re searching for. This will bring up their details, including their email address, office location, phone number, and more.
How to Delete a GAL
If you wish to restrict users from accessing the GAL, you can disable this feature for the entire organization or only for a specific user. You could also disable the Directory when you need to troubleshoot. Microsoft also offers resources on removing a GAL using Powershell.
Why Is Someone Missing from the Global Address List?
Common troubleshooting points:
- Hidden from address lists: Verify that the mailbox, contact, or group is not configured to be hidden from address lists.
- Stale Offline Address Book: In classic Outlook, manually download the latest OAB before changing server-side settings.
- Address Book Policy: The user may be scoped to a different GAL or address-list experience.
- Hybrid synchronization: In hybrid environments, directory changes may depend on Microsoft Entra Connect synchronization. The built-in scheduler runs every 30 minutes by default unless the organization changes the interval. Additional Exchange and OAB processing can add further delay.
- Client-specific caching: If the recipient appears in Outlook on the web but not in classic Outlook, an outdated OAB or another client-specific issue is a likely cause.
How Long Does the GAL Take to Update?
Update timing depends on the Exchange environment and whether Outlook is using live directory data or a cached Offline Address Book. Exchange Online: Microsoft generates Offline Address Books every 8 hours.
Classic Outlook in Cached Exchange Mode: Outlook can continue displaying older directory information until it downloads an updated OAB. Users can manually refresh the local copy.
Exchange Server: Current supported Exchange Server documentation also uses an 8-hour default OAB generation interval, although administrators can change the schedule.
Avoid promising a universal 24 to 48 hour update time. Actual visibility depends on server generation, client download timing, and environment configuration.
Takeaways
A GAL is a powerful tool for organizations, allowing seamless communication, collaboration, and sharing of resources.
Whether you’re using an on-premises Exchange server or the cloud-based Microsoft 365 environment, understanding and managing your GAL effectively is essential for efficient business operations.
Frequently Asked Questions on Global Address Lists
What is the Microsoft Global Address List?
The Microsoft Global Address List is a directory service for users, groups, and resources within an organization using Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365.
What kind of information does a Global Address List contain?
A GAL contains details like names, email addresses, phone numbers, and job titles of users. It can also include distribution lists, shared mailboxes, and resources like conference rooms.
How do I find my global address list?
Refer to “How do I Find or Use My Global Address List?” for steps to finding the GAL.
Can a Global Address List be accessed or synchronized across different devices?
When using Microsoft 365, the GAL can be synchronized and accessed from various devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, provided they are configured to connect to the organization’s account.
What is the Global Address List?
A Global Address List is an Exchange address list containing mail-enabled recipients selected by its recipient filter. Exchange Online automatically creates a Default Global Address List. Administrators can also create additional GALs for segmented environments.
What is the difference between the GAL and Outlook Contacts?
The GAL is the organization’s centrally managed Exchange directory. Outlook Contacts are contact records stored in a user’s mailbox and are typically managed by that user, although contact folders can also be shared or populated through organizational synchronization workflows.
How do I view the Global Address List?
In classic Outlook, go to Home > Find > Address Book or press Ctrl + Shift + B, then select Global Address List. In new Outlook, create a new email and select To, Cc, or Bcc to open the address book and search the organizational directory.
Where is the Address Book in the new Outlook?
In new Outlook for Windows, select New mail, then select To, Cc, or Bcc to open the address book and search available organizational directory entries.
How do I create a Global Address List?
Exchange administrators can create a custom GAL with New-GlobalAddressList in Exchange PowerShell. In Exchange Online, the Address Lists management role must be assigned before the cmdlet can be used.
How long does the Global Address List take to update?
There is no single universal GAL update time. Exchange Online generates Offline Address Books every 8 hours. Classic Outlook clients using a cached OAB may need additional time to receive the latest copy, and users can manually download the OAB when troubleshooting stale information.
Why is a new employee not showing in the GAL?
The recipient may be hidden from address lists, the local Offline Address Book may be stale, an Address Book Policy may scope the user to a different GAL, or hybrid directory synchronization may still be processing the change.
How do I force the GAL to refresh in Outlook?
In classic Outlook, manually download the latest Offline Address Book. This refreshes the local cached copy and does not directly change the underlying Exchange directory.
Can I sync the Global Address List to my phone?
Exchange-connected mobile devices can search organizational directory information, but that does not automatically copy the entire GAL into the user’s personal contact store. Organizations that need managed GAL entries as synchronized phone contacts need a dedicated synchronization workflow.
Can an organization have more than one Global Address List?
Yes. Exchange Online supports multiple GALs, often used with Address Book Policies to segment organizations. Each user can see and use only one GAL in Outlook and Outlook on the web.
Does the GAL work offline?
The live GAL requires directory access, but classic Outlook in Cached Exchange Mode can use an Offline Address Book containing address-list information while disconnected. The cached copy may not contain the newest directory changes until it updates.
