How to stop emails from blocked senders in Junk folder

Question

I have blocked 1,000+ senders to date. However, I keep getting emails in my Junk folder from those senders. How can I stop them coming into the folder full stop?

I don't want to automatically permanently delete all mail coming into my Junk folder in case it is from a legitimate source.

Regards, John.

Answer 1

@John P said

I keep getting emails in my Junk folder from those senders. How can I stop them coming into the folder full stop?

As far as I know, Classic Outlook Rules do not automatically run on email that is delivered to your Junk folder.

There are some manual methods you can use to clean up the Junk folder using Run Rules Now or automate use Outlook VBA.

[External Non-Microsoft Site] https://robert365.com/article/junkrules

Answer 2

There are two main options you can try - rules and phishing report...

To create a rule that deletes emails based on common spam characteristics, go to the Settings gear icon, select Mail, and then choose Rules. Click Add new rule and name it something descriptive like Spam Filter. In the Add a condition dropdown, select Subject or body includes and enter the specific phrases or consistent words you have identified from your junk mail. To be more precise, you can use an Email Header Analyzer to find hidden identifiers like the Return-Path or specific server IDs. Once you have these, add a second condition for Message header includes and paste the identifier. Set the Add an action dropdown to Delete or Permanently delete. This ensures that any incoming mail matching these specific patterns is bypassed and removed before it ever reaches your Junk folder, keeping that folder clear for legitimate messages that were simply misidentified.

Reporting phishing is a more powerful way to train Outlook's global filters than simply blocking a sender. When you encounter a suspicious email, do not just click Block; instead, select the message and choose Report then Report Phishing from the top toolbar. This action sends the technical data and metadata of the email to Microsoft's security team. Unlike a standard block, which only affects your individual account by moving mail to Junk, a phishing report helps the system recognize the underlying infrastructure or "fingerprint" of the attack. Over time, this training helps Outlook identify and drop these messages at the server level, preventing them from even hitting your Junk folder in the first place.

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hth

Marcin