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Junk Email Filtering isn't Working in Outlook

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› Outlook › Junk Email Filtering isn’t Working in Outlook

Last reviewed on June 2, 2020     69 Comments

Applies to: Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2007

Update October 25 2017: Users are reporting that the Safe and Blocked lists are working again, following the installation of the most recent update.

Update: July 14 2017: some users are reporting problems with the junk filtering in Outlook 2007 - 2016. Poor filtering could be due, in part, to the retirement of SmartScreen, which means the exiting junk filter definitions will not be updated. See Deprecating support for SmartScreen in Outlook and Exchange for more information.

However, there appears to be a problem where Outlook is not blocking addresses on the blocked senders list. When using the 'safe sender only' option, Outlook is letting addresses through that are not on the safe sender list. The product team is aware of the issue.

Potential workaround: Change the encryption setting for the account to Auto. In File, Account Settings double click on your email account. Click More Settings... click Advanced tab. Change the "Use the following type of encrypted connection to Auto. Please post in comments if this fixes it.

Note: Server-side spam filtering is generally the best option as it removes the spam from your Inbox before you download load it. Smartphone users won't waste data downloading spam (unless they look in the junk mail folder from their phone); on the desktop side, with an IMAP account, Outlook will sync the Junk mail folder, making it easy to review.

In Outlook 2010 and up, expand the Junk button the ribbon, then select Junk E-Mail Options to view the Safe and Blocked Senders lists. Verify that your address is not on the Safe Sender or Safe Recipient list. These two lists override the Blocked Sender list and the junk mail filter.

If you use Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007 and junk email filtering doesn't seem to be working, go to Tools, Options, Junk Email options and verify that your address is not on the Safe Sender or Safe Recipient list.

If you have more than one account configured in Outlook 2010 and newer, each account will have it's own junk email settings.

Outlook's Junk mail options dialog

If you will never send email to yourself, add your address to the blocked senders list. This prevents spammers from faking you as the sender to send you spam.

More Information

  • Add EU to the International Blocked TLD List
  • Automatically Cleanup Outlook's Deleted Item and Junk Email Folders
  • Blocking Mail From New Top-Level Domains
  • Bulk Add Addresses to Safe and Blocked Senders Lists
  • Don't Get Caught In a Phishing Hack
  • Empty Multiple Deleted Items Folders using a Macro
  • How to Block Foreign Spam
  • Icon is not correct on the Junk Mail Folder
  • Junk Email Filtering isn't Working in Outlook
  • Junk Mail Filtering in Outlook
  • Office 365 Fraud Detection Checks
  • Outlook's "Not Junk" option isn't available
  • Rules and Tools to Filter Junk Mail
  • Samsung smartphones move email to the Junk folder
  • Sending Autoreplies to Spammers
  • Should You Respond to Junk Mail?
  • Understanding the Safe and Blocked Senders lists
  • Using Outlook's Junk Filter with Multiple Accounts
  • Using Outlook's Junk Mail filter
  • What Moved a Message to the Junk E-mail Folder?

Junk Email Filtering isn't Working in Outlook was last modified: June 2nd, 2020 by Diane Poremsky
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Related Posts:

  • Using Outlook's Junk Mail filter
  • What Moved a Message to the Junk E-mail Folder?
  • Using Outlook's Junk Filter with Multiple Accounts
  • Junk Mail Filtering in Outlook

About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

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Ken (@guest_218777)
October 6, 2021 6:15 pm
#218777

Changing encryption to auto at least partly solved the problem. Lots of files were caught but a couple snuck by. I should probably re-boot or at least re-start outlook. (Before it wasn't catching any of junk in the list.) Thanks for your help.

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Patrick Smith (@guest_217202)
November 19, 2020 3:47 pm
#217202

Have you tried another solution?

I was through the mill last year searching for something. I eventually found the right one and it's definitely easier to use that the one I had before - the free out of the box one.

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WILLIAM (@guest_215508)
June 28, 2020 11:51 am
#215508

My Outlook junk mail settings have become DEMOCRAT , any email i receive that is GUN related or TRUMP related is put in my junk mail I continue to go thru and put mail as NOT JUNK but nothing seems to work .I am a Gun toting Republican that loves my President .DO I HAVE TO STOP USING OUTLOOK BECAUSE I AM REPUBLICAN ????

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Ruthless Libtard (@guest_217507)
Reply to  WILLIAM
January 31, 2021 8:25 am
#217507

Yes you do.

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Joshua Burstyn (@guest_217580)
Reply to  WILLIAM
February 17, 2021 12:44 pm
#217580

Maybe it is a user issue?

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Reply
Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  Joshua Burstyn
October 6, 2021 9:56 pm
#218778

More likely a junk filter-issue, especially if he uses a 3rd party antivirus.

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none of your buisness (@guest_213817)
August 24, 2019 9:50 am
#213817

auto encytion did not work for me either look outlook get off your lazy butt and fix the issue instead of blaming it on us. Your custormer service are a bunch of lazy inconsiderate dumbos who think they know evverything but they not even close go get a proper education and quit blaming problems on the consumer,
Regards,
A angry outlook user

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  none of your buisness
August 24, 2019 10:58 pm
#213819

You do realize this is not a Microsoft web site?

Are you using Outlook on the web or Outlook desktop software? If desktop software, which version and build of Outlook are you using? See File, Office Account for the information.

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Justin Miller (@guest_213898)
Reply to  none of your buisness
September 12, 2019 9:30 am
#213898

The irony is strong in this one.

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Margaret Abbott (@guest_212287)
November 17, 2018 5:41 pm
#212287

Setting encryption connection to auto did not work for me.

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Susan D Kirby (@guest_210460)
February 25, 2018 10:27 am
#210460

I could not find the Auto setting under "Click More Settings... click Advanced tab. Change the "Use the following type of encrypted connection to Auto." recommended above. There was one under the GENERAL setting but it was already checked and the problem of blocked senders getting through was still happening.

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  Susan D Kirby
February 26, 2018 12:27 am
#210463

What version of Outlook do you use? Both incoming and outgoing have an auto settings - the person who said it worked fixed their problem did not specificy which one, but i would assume incoming (since outbound wouldn't go through the junk filter).

use-auto.png
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gayle (@guest_209476)
November 25, 2017 2:43 pm
#209476

I am using outlook 2017 (not the 365 version). My outlook was already set on Auto so that solution did not work. The toolbar junk is grey and not clickable but the right click junk works. my income pop 995; I checked required encrypted SSL/TLS; outgoing server 587, connection is AUTO; incoming is securepop.siteprotect.com; outoing is smtp.siteprotect.com

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  gayle
November 26, 2017 12:48 pm
#209482

Is there a possibility that you set a registry key to disable the junk mail feature? When this is set, it totally disables all junk filtering and the dialogs, but i forget if it disables the right click menu too.
https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/how-to-disable-outlooks-junk-email-filter/

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David Parker (@guest_209178)
November 2, 2017 1:14 am
#209178

I have Office 365 ver 1709 build 8528.2139, however I still see a couple domains that are reaching my inbox, despite the fact I added them to the blocked sender list. Not sure what to do, except to wait for MS...

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  David Parker
November 20, 2017 12:20 am
#209390

make sure you have the correct domain, otherwise, wait for an update.

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Reply

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