Junk e-mail filter in Outlook – how it works

The junk e-mail filter in Outlook detects spam e-mails and sorts them from your inbox into the Junk Mail folder. Find out how this works and how to configure the folder here.

How the Junk E-mail Filter works in Outlook

The junk e-mail filter does not prevent spam e-mails from coming in, but it moves them to an extra folder and thus into quarantine, so to speak. Since these messages can contain viruses in the worst case, attachments are usually blocked.

• The filter is switched on in Outlook by default. This is automatically set to “Low”, but can be changed.
• If the security level is set to “High”, Outlook may misjudge.
• Therefore, check the mails in the junk mail folder regularly. If a mail mistakenly ends up in this folder, you can simply drag and drop it back into the inbox.

Configure Junk Email Filter in Outlook

Configure the filter in the settings. These are the ways in the different Outlook versions:

• Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019: Open the “Start” tab at the top. There, in the “Delete” group, select “Junk email” and click on the “Junk email options”.
• Outlook 2007 and 2003: Click on the item “Tools” in the menu at the top and select the “Options” there. Now you will see the button “Junk E-mail” at the top.

Set the junk mail filter correctly

In the settings you can switch back and forth between the individual tabs. Among other things, you can mark any sender as safe or block them.

• Under Options you can set the security level at the top. With the first four options, you can deactivate the junk e-mail filter completely, set the sensitivity to “Low” or “High”, or (if you want to be absolutely sure) only receive e-mails from the people you have already marked as safe (see picture).
• Finally, click the “OK” button to apply the changes.