Spam emails can be a nuisance and potentially harmful. Reporting spam in Outlook helps improve the email filtering system and keeps your inbox clean. Here’s how you can report spam in Outlook:
Steps to Report Spam in Outlook
Open Outlook: Launch the Outlook application on your computer or go to the Outlook website and log in to your account.
Select the Spam Email: Navigate to your inbox and select the email that you want to report as spam.
Report as Junk:
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Desktop Application:
- Double click the email on the Outlook view
- Right-click on the email and select the Message tab
- Choose Report > Report Junk. This will move the email to the Junk Email folder and report it to Microsoft.
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Web Version:
- Double click on the email to open it.
- Click on the Message tab button in the toolbar at the top of the page.
- Select Report > Report Junk
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Block the Sender (Optional):
- If you receive multiple spam emails from the same sender, you can block the sender to prevent future emails from reaching your inbox.
- Right-click on the email, then choose Block Sender.
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Phishing Emails: If the email is a phishing attempt (trying to trick you into providing personal information), you should report it as phishing instead of junk. Follow the below article for more.
Additional Tips
- Check Defender notifications: any email which is recognized as highly spam or phishing email will be put in Quarantine and notification send to you every few hours with emails put on hold (quarantined)
- Regularly Check Junk Folder: Occasionally check your Junk Email folder to ensure that legitimate emails haven’t been mistakenly marked as junk.
- Use Outlook’s Filters: Customize your spam filter settings in Outlook to better suit your needs. Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Junk email.
- Stay Informed: Keep yourself updated on the latest phishing and spam tactics to better recognize and avoid them.
By following these steps, you can help keep your inbox free from unwanted spam and contribute to a safer email environment.