How to stop spam emails outlook

Last Updated: Feb 21, 2024 by

Are you tired of constantly receiving spam emails in your Outlook inbox? You’re not alone. Spam emails are a nuisance that can clutter your inbox and make it difficult to find important emails. In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop spam emails in Outlook and keep your inbox organized.

What Are Spam Emails?

Spam emails are unsolicited, unwanted emails that are sent in bulk to a large number of recipients. These emails are often sent for commercial purposes, such as advertising a product or service, but can also contain malicious links or attachments.

Spam emails can be a major annoyance, as they can take up valuable space in your inbox and make it difficult to find important emails. They can also pose a security risk, as they may contain viruses or phishing attempts.

Why Do I Receive Spam Emails in Outlook?

Spam emails can make their way into your Outlook inbox for a variety of reasons. Some common reasons include:

  • Your email address was obtained by a spammer through a data breach or sold to a third party.
  • You have responded to a spam email in the past, which confirms to the sender that your email address is active.
  • Your email address is publicly available on the internet, making it an easy target for spammers.
  • Your email address has been added to a mailing list without your consent.

How to Stop Spam Emails in Outlook

Use the Junk Email Filter

Outlook has a built-in Junk Email Filter that can help identify and move spam emails to a separate folder. To enable this filter, follow these steps:

  1. In Outlook, go to the Home tab and click on Junk in the Delete group.
  2. Select Junk E-mail Options.
  3. In the Options tab, select the level of protection you want. We recommend selecting High to catch the most spam emails.
  4. Click OK to save your changes.

Block Senders

You can also block specific senders from sending you emails in Outlook. This can be useful if you consistently receive spam emails from the same sender. To block a sender, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click on the email from the sender you want to block.
  2. Select Junk and then Block Sender.
  3. A confirmation message will appear. Click OK to confirm.

Create Rules

Outlook allows you to create rules that can automatically move emails to a specific folder based on certain criteria. You can use this feature to automatically move spam emails to a separate folder. To create a rule, follow these steps:

  1. In Outlook, go to the Home tab and click on Rules in the Move group.
  2. Select Create Rule.
  3. In the Create Rule window, select the criteria you want to use to identify spam emails. For example, you can choose to move all emails from a specific sender to a separate folder.
  4. Click OK to save your changes.

Use a Third-Party Spam Filter

If you’re still receiving a large number of spam emails in Outlook, you may want to consider using a third-party spam filter. These filters use advanced algorithms to identify and block spam emails, reducing the number of unwanted emails in your inbox.

Some popular third-party spam filters include SpamTitan, MailCleaner, and SpamExperts. These filters can be integrated with Outlook and can provide an extra layer of protection against spam emails.

How to Stop Emails Going to Spam in Outlook

If you’re not receiving important emails in your Outlook inbox, they may be going to your spam folder instead. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that important emails are not marked as spam in Outlook.

Add Senders to Your Safe Senders List

Outlook has a Safe Senders List that allows you to specify which senders you trust and want to receive emails from. To add a sender to your Safe Senders List, follow these steps:

  1. In Outlook, go to the Home tab and click on Junk in the Delete group.
  2. Select Junk E-mail Options.
  3. In the Safe Senders tab, click Add.
  4. Enter the email address or domain you want to add to your Safe Senders List.
  5. Click OK to save your changes.

Check Your Blocked Senders List

If you’re not receiving emails from a specific sender, they may be on your Blocked Senders List. To check your Blocked Senders List, follow these steps:

  1. In Outlook, go to the Home tab and click on Junk in the Delete group.
  2. Select Junk E-mail Options.
  3. In the Blocked Senders tab, check if the sender’s email address or domain is listed.
  4. If the sender is listed, select their email address or domain and click Remove.
  5. Click OK to save your changes.

Mark Emails as Not Junk

If an important email has been marked as junk, you can mark it as not junk to ensure that future emails from the same sender are not marked as spam. To mark an email as not junk, follow these steps:

  1. In Outlook, go to the Junk folder.
  2. Right-click on the email you want to mark as not junk.
  3. Select Junk and then Not Junk.
  4. A confirmation message will appear. Click OK to confirm.

Additional Tips to Reduce Spam Emails in Outlook

Don’t Respond to Spam Emails

As mentioned earlier, responding to spam emails can confirm to the sender that your email address is active. This can result in more spam emails being sent to your inbox. It’s best to simply delete spam emails without responding to them.

Don’t Share Your Email Address Online

Avoid sharing your email address on public forums or websites. Spammers often use automated tools to scan the internet for email addresses, so keeping your email address private can reduce the chances of it being targeted by spammers.

Use a Strong Password

Make sure your email account is protected with a strong password. This can prevent hackers from gaining access to your account and using it to send spam emails.

Conclusion

Spam emails can be a major annoyance, but there are steps you can take to reduce the number of spam emails in your Outlook inbox. By using the built-in Junk Email Filter, blocking senders, creating rules, and using a third-party spam filter, you can keep your inbox organized and free of unwanted emails. Additionally, by adding senders to your Safe Senders List, checking your Blocked Senders List, and marking emails as not junk, you can ensure that important emails are not marked as spam. By following these tips, you can keep your Outlook inbox free of spam emails and improve your email experience.

Gulrukh Ch

About the Author: Gulrukh Ch

Gulrukh Chaudhary, an accomplished digital marketer and technology writer with a passion for exploring the frontiers of innovation. Armed with a Master's degree in Information Technology, Gulrukh seamlessly blends her technical prowess with her creative flair, resulting in captivating insights into the world of emerging technologies. Discover more about her on her LinkedIn profile.