This article explains how to mark spam as junk mail in Outlook.com so it’s moved automatically to the Junk email folder. By moving it to the Junk Email folder, you’ll train Outlook.com to identify similar junk emails so that it automatically does so in the future.

What to Know

  • Go to the Outlook.com message list and select the junk message. Select Junk, then select Junk or Phishing. You can opt to block the sender. Select Report or Don’t report the message to Microsoft. The message goes to Junk Email, and Outlook learns what you consider to be junk.To add an email as a safe sender, go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Junk Email > Safe senders and domains > Add.

How to Mark a Message as Junk in Outlook.com

To tell Outlook.com that a particular message made it past the junk mail filter, move it to the Junk Email folder.

  • Go to Outlook.com and log in to your account.
  • Go to the Outlook.com message list and select the junk message. To flag multiple messages as spam at one time, place a checkmark in the circle next to the message.
  • Select Junk from the toolbar.
  • Select Junk or Phishing. You can opt to block the sender, too.
  • In the Report as junk dialog box, select Report or Don’t report the message to Microsoft.
  • Reporting a message tells Microsoft to treat it and messages like it as spam.
  • The message moves to the Junk Email folder, and Outlook.com learns which types of messages you consider to be junk.
  • The items in the Junk Email folder are deleted after 30 days.

Use Junk Email Filters

If Outlook.com mistakenly moves emails that are not junk to the Junk Email folder, place the senders on the Safe senders and domains list.

Go to Outlook.com and log in to your account.

Go to the Outlook.com message list and select the junk message. To flag multiple messages as spam at one time, place a checkmark in the circle next to the message.

Select Junk from the toolbar.

Select Junk or Phishing. You can opt to block the sender, too.

In the Report as junk dialog box, select Report or Don’t report the message to Microsoft.

Reporting a message tells Microsoft to treat it and messages like it as spam.

The message moves to the Junk Email folder, and Outlook.com learns which types of messages you consider to be junk.

The items in the Junk Email folder are deleted after 30 days.

To add an email address to the Safe senders and domains list:

If the email comes from a mailing list, it may be identified as junk because your email address does not appear in the To line. If you trust the mailing list, add their address to the Safe senders and domains list.

  • Go to Settings.
  • Select View all Outlook settings.
  • In the Settings dialog box, select Mail > Junk Email.
  • In the Safe senders and domains section, select Add and enter the email address of a sender or domain from which you want to receive email messages.
  • If Outlook doesn’t recognize a junk mail sender and doesn’t move their messages to the Junk Email folder, add the sender or domain to the Blocked senders and domains list.
  • Select Save.

Go to Settings.

Select View all Outlook settings.

In the Settings dialog box, select Mail > Junk Email.

In the Safe senders and domains section, select Add and enter the email address of a sender or domain from which you want to receive email messages.

If Outlook doesn’t recognize a junk mail sender and doesn’t move their messages to the Junk Email folder, add the sender or domain to the Blocked senders and domains list.

Select Save.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day