Microsoft Outlook Junk Email Filter

Microsoft Junk Email filter helps in removing unwanted messages from Inbox. It also knows as spam mail and it's moved by filter away to junk e-mail folder. Now How this Junk email filter works it evaluate the incoming message on several factors whether it is spam or not. These can incorporate time when message was sent, by default junk email filter was turned on and the level of protection is set to low. It catches only most conspicuous spam you can turn it into aggressive by changing level of protection.

Note: Junk Email filter doesn't block delivery of junk messages it only spam to junk e-mail folder.

Adjust junk email filter setting in junk email option dialog box

• On Home tab, in Delete group, click Junk, and after that Junk E-mail Options

Junk E-mail folder: Any message that is found suspicious is moved to a junk e-mail folder. So we recommend to periodically review message in Junk E-mail folder justifiable message that were incorrectly restricted as junk. If you find message that is not junk then move it to the Inbox by simply dragging it or mark item as not junk by following the step.

• On Home tab, in Delete group, click Junk and after that Not Junk

Junk Email Filter Lists

Incoming message of Outlook were checked by Junk Email filter automatically, while filter list give control over what is considered to be spam. You can add email address, domain and name to the list so the filter won't allow message from source or block message that you don't trust or know.

• Safe Senders List: Domain and Email address in safe sender list never evaluate as junk email, regardless of content of message. You can add other correspondents like contacts to junk list. If you are using Exchange server account, name and address in GAL automatically treated as safe.
• Safe Recipients List: If you belong to distributing or mailing list then you can add sender list to safe Recipient List. Through this message sent these domain and email address will never treated as junk, regardless of content of message.
• Blocked Sender List: Block message from defined sender list of domain name or email addresses. By doing this you can directly move particular list emails to a junk e-mail folder. Messages from that particular domain or people appear in the list are always consider as junk email regardless of content of message.
• Blocked Top-Level Domain List: Block email message comes from another region or country by adding country codes to blocked top-level domain list. Example selecting US [United States] and CA [Canada] check boxes in list would block email messages from email address that end with .us and .ca.
• Blocked Encoding List: To block email of another alphabet or character set add encoding to Blocked Encoding List

Types of Email account supported by Junk Email Filter

• POP3 account
• IMAP account
• Outlook connector for Outlook.com
• Outlook connector for Domino IBM Lotus
• Exchange account in cached mode
• Exchange account deliver to Outlook Data file (.pst)

If want to change profile then export copy of Junk Email lists before making changes and then import information into Outlook. This makes sure you won't have to re-create Junk Email Filter Lists.

Change Junk Email Filter Level of Protection

By default Junk Email Filter is on and protection level is set to low, if you want you can adjust the level of junk email filter sensitivity. Outlook junk mail filter defend against much of spam sent messages, but no filter can catch every spam message.

Change Junk Email Protection Level

• In Mail, on Home tab, in Deleted group, click Junk and after that click Junk E-mail Options.
• On Option tab, check level of protection you required.

No Automatic Filtering: Although turns off automatic Junk Email Filter, message are still figure out by using email address and domain name in blocked senders list.

Note: So whenever you turn off Junk E-mail filter, you must also remove names from junk email filter lists.

• Low: If you won't receive much junk email message and want to filter only obvious junk then select this option.
• High: If you receive junk email messages in access, but don't want to block the email receive from the sender list then go for this option.
• Safe Lists Only: It's a most restrictive option as any message either it is from safe sender list or from safe recipient list is classified as junk.

Changing protection levels only affect those email accounts that save and deliver to your computer. This includes email account that use Outlook data file (.pst), include POP3 & IMAP accounts.

Instead of moving email message to junk email folder delete It

• In Mail, on Home tab, in Delete group, click Junk and then Junk E-mail Option.

• On Option tab, select permanently delete suspected junk e-mail instead of moving it to the Junk E-mail folder check box.

Note: When email deleted from junk email it not moved to a Deleted Items folder.

Best Practice for Managing Junk Email Filter:

• Increase Protection Level: For higher safety enhance the protection level of Outlook Junk E-mail filter.
• Update Junk Email Filter: Update Junk E-mail from Microsoft site by clicking check for update option under office online.

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• Block Images in HTML messages that spammer: Sometime an HTML formatted message caries an image that get downloaded automatically. By default, Outlook set to block automatic picture download so to verify it go to the Tools menu and click Options after that click on Security tab and then Change Automatic Download Settings. Tick the check box don't download pictures or other content automatically in HTML e-mail
• Turn off meeting requests of automatic processing: Responding to read and delivery meeting request automatically also makes you sensitive to web beacon.