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All hotmail is going to junk folder

Diana Duch 20 Reputation points
2025-12-12T17:21:33.3166667+00:00

Recently I had a security breach but finally got it straightened out by updating my password and second level authentication. But soon after, all my emails are going to my Junk Mail folder. I've directed the emails in the junk folder that were safe over to my inbox as safe sender but all emails continue to go to junk anyway. I made sure in my account settings for junk mail was set to Standard and not Strict but the problem continues. Please help me fix this and thanks, Diana

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home
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EmilyS726 233.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-12-12T17:56:49.7933333+00:00

Hello,

Make sure you do this on a computer, not on smartphone or tablet. Go to https://www.outlook.com and log in, click on the gear icon on the top right to launch the settings.

Then, on the Mail tab, go to Rules. Are there any rules set up here? If yes, delete them all.

Then check the conditional format, again, if it's there, delete it.

Then, check Forwarding and IMAP, If any items are present, delete them as well.

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If you can't find anything, go to https://account.live.com > Your info > Sign in Preferences. Make sure to check all the aliases here. If you don't recognize any there, delete it.

Then go to Security > Manage How I sign in, make sure all contact info is yours.

Please make sure you change your password and enable two-step verficiation.

Go to your account online, go to Devices, remove any devices you don't recognize.

Then go to Security, click on Sign out everywhere. This is meant to kill any session that's still connected. Unfortunately, this one will take 24 hours to take effect.

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  1. AI answer

    2025-12-12T17:21:50.1566667+00:00

    It sounds like you're experiencing issues with the Outlook Junk Email Filter. Here are some steps you can take to help resolve the problem:

    1. Check Safe Senders List: Ensure that the email addresses or domains you want to receive emails from are added to the Safe Senders list. This can help prevent emails from those senders from being marked as junk.
    2. Review Spam Addresses on Mobile Device: If you have a mobile device that uses the default mail application, check the spam addresses feature on that device. Sometimes, entries in this list can cause legitimate emails to be marked as junk. Remove any addresses that should not be there, such as your corporate domain.
    3. Adjust Junk Email Filter Settings: Since you've already set the junk mail settings to Standard, make sure that the filter is not set to No automatic filtering. If it is, Outlook will not classify messages as spam, but it will still use the safelist collection to move messages to the Junk Email folder after delivery.
    4. Consider Group Policy Settings: If you're in a managed environment (like a workplace), check with your IT department to see if there are any Group Policy settings that might be affecting your junk email settings.
    5. Monitor for Changes: After making these adjustments, monitor your inbox and junk folder for any changes. It may take some time for the settings to take effect.

    If the problem persists, you may want to consider reaching out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

    References:

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

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