Introduction
Microsoft Outlook provides several options to help manage junk emails. End-users are able to mark/report specific emails as junk and automatically move future messages from the same sender to the Junk Email folder. End-users can also mark/report legitimate emails as not junk, if they are inadvertently blocked and sent to the Junk Email folder. This ensures that future messages from the same sender are received in the Inbox folder.
To review general best practices, see the Preventing/Reducing Junk Email: Tips and Best Practices article. Follow the steps below to manage your inbox and reduce the amount of junk email you receive.
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Instructions
Marking/Reporting Email as Junk
Marking an email as junk in the Inbox will move it to the Junk Email folder. The email will also be added to your Blocked Senders list to block future occurrences. Reporting an email as junk will do the same but will also send a copy of the email to Microsoft, which helps them to strengthen their filtering algorithm. Junk email is retained for 30 days before it is automatically deleted.
In Outlook Mobile App:
- Open the email, then click the ellipsis (3 dots) on the top right corner of the screen
- Select Report Junk
- Click either Junk or Block Sender
- If prompted to Report Message, click either Report which sends a copy of the email to Microsoft to improve the filtering algorithm, or select No, Thanks.
Note: The junk email message is then moved to the Junk Email folder.
Marking/Reporting Email as Not Junk
Email marked as junk is retained for 30 days before it is automatically deleted. Therefore, it is recommended that you check the Junk Email folder periodically for any emails that may have inadvertently been marked as junk to ensure you’re not missing important messages. For any legitimate email you see in the Junk Email folder, follow the steps below to mark it as not junk.
In Outlook Mobile App:
- Open the email, then click the ellipsis (3 dots) on the top right corner of the screen
- Select Not Junk or Unblock Sender if previously blocked
Note: Microsoft does not make its spam algorithms public. This helps prevent spammers from improving their spamming techniques. Therefore, Pace ITS staff is not able to say why a given message was flagged as likely spam. To ensure you're receiving wanted email in your inbox, it is recommended that you check your Junk Email folder regularly and mark any falsely flagged emails as safe. That will add them to the Safe Senders List going forward.