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Options > Junk E-Mail

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Junk e-mail can strain networks, clog e-mail servers, and fill mailboxes with unwanted messages and images. Outlook Web App helps you control unwanted and unsolicited messages by letting you manage and create lists of trusted and untrusted e-mail addresses and domains.

Note

This topic applies to the Outlook Web App Light. To read about this feature for the standard version of Outlook Web App, see Junk E-Mail Settings.

The junk e-mail filter gives precedence to e-mail addresses over domains when it checks incoming messages. For example, suppose the contoso.com domain is on your Blocked Senders List and the address someone@contoso.com is on your Safe Senders List. The address someone@contoso.com will be allowed into your Inbox, but all other e-mail addresses that have the domain contoso.com will be sent to your Junk E-Mail folder.

Note

When you enter domains in your Safe Senders List or Blocked Senders List, you don't have to include the "at" (@) symbol. It will be added automatically.

Changes you make to the Safe Senders List, Blocked Senders List, and Safe Recipients List are automatically saved when they're entered. If you change any other Junk E-Mail settings, you need to click Save save to save your new settings. If you don't click Save before you leave the Junk E-Mail page in Options, you'll be prompted to either click Cancel to remain on the page or click OK to leave the page without saving your changes.

Don't filter junk e-mail   Select this option to disable junk e-mail filtering. By selecting this option, you won't be able to control unwanted and unsolicited messages. It isn't a good security practice to disable junk e-mail filtering.

Automatically filter junk e-mail   Select this option to enable junk e-mail filtering. Selecting this option enables your mailbox to filter e-mail messages using the Safe Senders List, Blocked Senders List, and Safe Recipients List. After a message is identified as suspected junk e-mail, it's moved to the Junk E-Mail folder. It's a recommended best practice to turn on junk e-mail filtering. By default, junk e-mail filtering is turned on.

Note

When you empty the Junk E-Mail folder or delete an item from the Junk E-Mail folder, the item is moved to the Deleted Items folder.

Safe Senders List

Safe senders are domains and people you want to receive e-mail messages from.

  • To add a sender to the list, under Safe Senders List, click in the text box, type an e-mail address or domain, and then click Add.
  • To modify a sender in the list, select the sender and then click Edit. Change the entry in the text box and then click Add.
  • To include your contacts as safe senders, select the Also trust e-mail from my Contacts check box. By default, this is selected.
  • To remove a sender from the list, select the sender and then click Remove.

Blocked Senders List

Blocked senders are domains and people you don't want to receive e-mail messages from. Messages received from any e-mail address or domain in your Blocked Senders List are sent directly to your Junk E-Mail folder.

  • To add a sender to the list, under Blocked Senders List, click in the text box, type an e-mail address or domain, and then click Add.
  • To modify a sender in the list, select the sender, and then click Edit. Change the entry in the text box and then click Add.
  • To remove a sender from the list, select the sender, and then click Remove.

Safe Recipients List

Safe recipients include groups you're a member of and want to receive e-mail messages from. You can also add individual e-mail addresses to your Safe Recipients List. A recipient is the intended destination of a message. A recipient can be an individual mailbox or it can be a group. For example, you might want to allow messages that are sent not only to you but also to a particular person.

  • To add a recipient to the list, under Safe Recipients List, click the text box, type an e-mail address or domain, and then click Add.
  • To modify a recipient in the list, select the recipient and then click Edit. Change the entry in the text box and then click Add.
  • To remove a recipient from the list, select the recipient and then click Remove.

Treat all e-mail as junk unless it comes from someone in my Safe Senders or Safe Recipients lists, or from senders in my organization   Select this option if you want e-mail messages from senders that aren't defined in your Safe Senders List or Safe Recipients List or e-mail messages from outside your organization to be treated as junk e-mail. E-mail messages identified as junk e-mail are moved to the Junk E-Mail folder.

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