How to block SPAM from Hotmail

Yves Beaupre 40 Reputation points
2026-03-25T14:40:53.03+00:00

Hi,

I receive large amount of SPAM from Hotmail in Outlook Classic. Despite I block the sender, I still receive undesired message from the same sender.

How can I fix this?

Thanks

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home
Answer accepted by question author
Alice-N 13,370 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-03-26T02:38:53.5966667+00:00

Hi Yves Beaupre

I understand that you already tried Block Sender, but spam still arrives. In Outlook, blocking a sender is designed to move future messages from that sender to Junk Email (it does not stop delivery at the service level), and it only works when the actual sender address/domain matches what you blocked.  

Please reply with: 

  • Are the emails coming from the same exact From email address every time, or only the same display name?  
  • After you block, do those emails land in Junk Email or still in Inbox? 

Meanwhile, also follow these steps if the AI given steps do not work:  

  • Block at the Outlook.com mailbox level, not only in the desktop client 
    • Sign in to Outlook on the web, then go to Settings > Mail > Junk email, and add the specific sender address or the specific sending domain to Blocked senders and domains, then Save. 
  • Report the messages as Junk/Phishing 
    • Select Report Junk option and choose Junk or Phishing (and Block Sender if applicable).  
  • Use a rule to catch patterns when the sender keeps changing addresses 
    • If the spam uses many different addresses (common with junk), blocking one sender won’t scale. Create a rule based on stable patterns you see (for example: specific words in the subject/body, or a consistent display name) and move them to a folder or delete.  

Please tell me how it goes. If the problem persists, please don’t hesitate to reply to this thread and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely day!   

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  1. AI answer

    2026-03-25T14:41:08.7966667+00:00

    In classic Outlook for Windows, blocking a sender moves future messages from that address to Junk Email, but it does not stop all spam, especially if spammers change addresses or domains. Use and tune the Junk Email features instead of relying only on “Block Sender.”

    1. Verify the sender is actually blocked
      • In classic Outlook, open a spam message.
      • On the Home tab, in the Delete group, select Junk > Junk E-mail Options.
      • Go to the Blocked Senders tab and confirm the unwanted address or its domain (for example, someone@example.com or @example.com) is listed. If not, select Add, enter the address or domain, and select OK.
    2. Block at the domain level
      • In Junk E-mail Options > Blocked Senders, select Add.
      • Add the spammer’s domain instead of just a single address, for example @hotmail.com or a more specific domain that appears in the From address.
      • Select OK and repeat for each domain that frequently sends spam.
      • Messages from addresses or domains in the Blocked Senders List are always treated as junk and moved to the Junk E-mail folder.
    3. Use the Junk command directly on messages
      • Select a spam message in the Inbox.
      • On the Home tab, in the Delete group, select Junk > Block Sender.
      • Outlook will add that sender to the Blocked Senders List and move future messages from that sender to Junk E-mail.
    4. Adjust Junk Email protection level (if needed)
      • In Junk E-mail Options, use the available settings to make the filter more strict if too much spam still reaches the Inbox. The Junk Email Filter does not stop delivery but diverts suspected spam to Junk E-mail.
    5. Periodically review Junk E-mail
      • Because stricter settings and domain blocking can catch legitimate mail, periodically review the Junk E-mail folder to ensure important messages are not missed.

    If spam continues from many different Hotmail addresses, focus on blocking domains and tightening Junk E-mail protection instead of blocking individual senders only.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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