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Blocking Junk Mail using Outlook and Outlook Express

Microsoft Office Outlook and Outlook Express includes features and functionality created to help block much of the junk e-mail messages (or spam) that you receive. In the following tutorial, we will show you how to setup spam filtering and put unwanted emails into separate folder.

For tutorials to set up spam filtering in the 3 most common versions of Outlook, choose from the options below:

Outlook Express

Microsoft Office 2000 - Outlook

Microsoft Office 2003 - Outlook

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Microsoft Outlook Express

Create a SPAM Folder:

1. Open Outlook Express.
2. In your folder list on the left side of the Outlook Express interface, right-click (by using the right mouse button) the "Local Folders" and left-click "New Folder".
   



3. In the Folder name: text box, type the name "SPA
   



4. You should now have a folder called SPAM underneath your Local Folders.
   

Create a SPAM Filter:

1. Using your left mouse button click on Tools > Message Rules > Mail.
   



2. Click on "New" to bring up the New Mail Rule dialog menu.
   



3. The dialog menu below is where you will be spending most of your time managing your custom SPAM filter. This is a very powerful tool and allows you to do much more than just filter SPAM. We will be separating this dialog menu into four parts.
   
   
   
   1. The first section sets the trap for SPAM. We will be focusing on the 2nd and 3rd "Conditions" which relate to words contained in the Subject line and message body. For now, let's set a trap for specific words contained in the "Subject line" by left-clicking the second condition.
      
   
   
   
   2. The next section tells the trap what you want to do with any email that it catches. We want to "Move it to the specified folder" so left-click the first action.
      
   
   
   
   3. The third section is where you add specific key words and phrases and define the specific folder you want SPAM moved. First, lets define the specific words and phrases to catch SPAM by left-clicking the "contains specific words" link.
      
      
      
      1. A new dialog box will appear where you can add as many words or phrases as you would like. A good approach is to read you SPAM mail as you receive it in order to choose words that are specific to the SPAM messages that are unlikely to be found in your personal email. I have added a few words below as an example. You may always return to this dialog menu to add new words later so don't worry about being too comprehensive. When you are finished, click "OK".
         
      
      
      
      2. You may now define where you would like to redirect your SPAM. Lets define which folder we would like our SPAM moved to by left-licking on the "specified" folder link.
         
      
      
      
      3. A new dialog box will appear allowing you can choose the folder where you would like your SPAM moved. By left-clicking on our "SPAM" folder and clicking "OK" we will be telling our filter to move all mail that contains our previously defined words or phrases to the SPAM folder.
         
      
      
      
   4. Finally, choose a name for the specific rule that you just created. I named the rule "SPAM SUBJECT" to reflect that I am trapping SPAM by using keywords and phrases in the subject line of incoming emails. Click OK and you will be returned to the main menu.
      
   
   
   
   5. You have just created your first rule and now have two options:
      
      
      
      1. Clicking "OK" will start filtering email. The next incoming email message will be subjected to the keyword and phrase filter you just created. Any emails containing the keywords and phrases in the subject line, will be automatically moved to the SPAM folder.
      2. Clicking "Apply Now" will bring up a new dialog box allowing you to immediately run your rules on the existing email in your inbox. Selecting the "SPAM SUBJECT" rule and clicking "Apply Now" will start the filtering process on all email within your Inbox.
         
      
      
      
      3. After the filter has completed, you will receive a dialog box indicating that the rules have been applied. Click "OK" , then Close, then "OK" to return to your Inbox.
         
      
      
      
      4. You are finished!
         
         You have just created a SPAM filter for the Subject line of emails. You may want to repeat the process to create a filter for the message body of emails. Over the next few days and weeks you will need to modify your rules by adding or removing keywords and phrases. The more time you spend in "tweeking" your filter rules, the better SPAM filter you will have.
         Anytime you need to modify your rules simply:
         1. Click on Tools > Message Rules > Mail.
            
         
         
         
         2. Click on the Subject link in blue.
            
         
         
         
         3. Add or remove keywords and phrases. Click OK when finished and OK once more to return to your inbox.
            
         
         

 

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Microsoft Office 2000 - Outlook

1. Open Outlook
2. Click on Tools > Rules Wizard.
   



3. Click on New.
   



4. Click on "Check messages when they arrive" and then Next >.
   



5. First, click the box next to "with specific words in the subject" - later you may want to repeat this exercise clicking "with specific words in the body".
   Second, click the specific words link in the bottom text box.
   
   
   [Note the many different conditions that allow you to set up specific rules in handling your email. The "Rules Wizard" is a very powerful tool that is worthy of spending some time learning its capabilities]



6. A new dialog box will appear where you can Add as many words or phrases as you would like. A good approach is to read you SPAM mail as you receive it in order to choose words that are specific to the SPAM messages that are unlikely to be found in your personal email. I have added "lose weight" as an example. You may always return to this dialog menu to add new words later so don't worry about being too comprehensive. When you are finished, click OK and then Next >.
   



7. First, click "move it to the specified folder".
   Second, click the "specified" link in the bottom text box.
   



8. First, highlight the "Inbox" by clicking once.
   Second, click the "New" button.
   



9. Type "SPAM" in the "Name:" text box and click OK.
   



10. Click "OK" and then "Finish" in the next dialog box.
    



11. Click "Rename..." to rename the rule we just created.
    



12. Erase "lose weight" and choose a name for the specific rule that you just created. I named the rule "SPAM Subject" to reflect that I am trapping SPAM by using keywords and phrases in the subject line of incoming emails. Click "OK" and you will be returned to the main menu.
    



13. You have just created your first rule and now have two options:
    
    
    
    1. Clicking "OK" will start filtering email. The next incoming email message will be subjected to the keyword and phrase filter you just created. Any emails containing the keywords and phrases in the subject line, will be automatically moved to the SPAM folder.
    2. Clicking Run Now will bring up a new dialog box allowing you to immediately run your rules on the existing email in your inbox. First, select the "SPAM Subject" rule. Second, "Browse" to your "Inbox" folder. Third, click "Run Now" which will start the filtering process on all email within your Inbox.
       
    
    
    
    3. A dialog box will display the status of the filter as it scans your email.
       
       
    
    
    4. When complete click "Close".
       
    
    
    
    5. You are finished.
       
       You have just created a SPAM filter for the Subject line of emails. You may want to repeat the process to create a filter for the message body of emails. Over the next few days and weeks you will need to modify your rules by adding or removing keywords and phrases. The more time you spend in "tweeking" your filter rules, the better SPAM filter you will have.
       Anytime you need to modify your rules simply:
       1. Click on Tools > Rules Wizard.
          
       
       
       
       2. Click on the Subject link in blue - in this case lose weight.
          
       
       
       
       3. Add or remove keywords and phrases. Click OK when finished and OK once more to return to your inbox.
          
       
       

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Microsoft Office 2003 - Outlook

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click on Tools > Options.
   



3. Click on the Junk E-mail... button.
   



4. The first "Options" tab is where you control the junk filter.
   • No Automatic Filtering essentially turns off the junk e-mail filter.
   • Low will only filter junk e-mail if it scores a high spam confidence level (SCL) rating.
   • High will filter junk e-mail if it scores a medium SCL rating. The lower the rating, the less likely the e-mail is spam.
   • Safe Lists Only turns off the junk e-mail filter and will only allow e-mail to be delivered to your inbox if the sender or the recipient is listed in the "Safe Senders" and "Safe Recipients" lists. You might use this option if you have the attitude "If I don't know the sender of the e-mail, it's spam". This may be ok for personal e-mail but this is definitely not an option for businesses attracting new customers.
   • The last option allows you to "Permanently delete" junk e-mail. If, after you have been using the junk e-mail filter for some time, you notice that the filter has never filtered one of your legitimate e-mails into the Junk E-mail folder, then you might consider simply deleting the filtered spam e-mail rather than keeping a copy for your review.



5. Choose the option required, then click OK.

For more information about spam and setting up filters in Outlook, visit Microsoft Office Homepage.

 

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