How do I manage my "blocked senders" or "allowed senders" list with MIT spam filtering?

On this page:

Questions

• How do I add an email address or domain to my "bad senders" or "good senders" list?
• black list or white list

Context and Notes

• MIT IS&T uses a spam filter to protect MIT email: http://ist.mit.edu/spam

• Your block and allow lists identify known good and bad senders to ensure you receive the mail you want and do not receive messages from senders you do not want to get. You must have automatic filtering of junk email enabled (the default) in order to use the block and allow list features.

• You must have logged into Outlook Web Access at least once to activate your block/allow lists.

• It can take up to an hour for your block/allow lists to sync with the server. In the interim you may still see messages from blocked senders delivered to your inbox or messages from allowed senders delivered to your Junk folder.

• Spam Filtering does not allow you to block senders inside your organization (with an @mit.edu address). A workaround for this is to use Filters.  If you believe that senders with @mit.edu email addresses have been caught by the spam filter, please send email to the IS&T Service Desk with full details concerning the message in question so that the it can be investigated further.  Many times, the mail appears to have been sent from a @mit.edu address, but was actually sent using another sending service (such as Mailchimp, Mailjet, etc.)

Manage your "bad senders" or "good senders" lists

With OWA (Outlook Web Access)

1. Visit OWA at https://owa.mit.edu and login.
2. Top-right Gear Icon or Options > See All Options
3. Under Options on your left navigation click Block or Allow
4. Make sure the Automatically filter junk email radio button is selected.  If the junk mail filter is disabled, allowed and blocked senders will not sync.
5. White listed recipients can be added to "safe senders and recipients". Filtering does not support adding a domain as a "safe sender", or the use of wild cards in the "safe senders" list.
6. Block email from specified senders or domains by adding as "blocked senders." Filtering does not support the use of wild cards, but a domain can be blocked.
   Result: Mail sent to blocked senders should be automatically filtered to your Junk Folder. Mail sent to Safe Senders should always appear in your inbox.
   Note: Don't forget to SAVE any changes you made. It may take up to 60 minutes to take effect.

For more information see: Microsoft's Block or allow (junk email settings)

With Outlook for Windows

Outlook 2019:

1. Open Outlook
2. Click on the Junk Icon
3. Select Junk E-mail Options
   Result: The junk email options window opens.
   
   
   
   
4. White listed recipients can be added to "safe senders" tab. Filtering does not support adding a domain as a "safe sender", or the use of wild cards in the "safe senders" list.
5. Block email from specified senders or domains by adding them to the "blocked senders" tab. Filtering does not support the use of wild cards, but a domain can be blocked.
   Result: Mail sent to blocked senders should be automatically filtered to your Junk Folder. Mail sent to Safe Senders should always appear in your inbox.

The safe senders list takes precedence over the blocked senders list. If you add an address to both lists, the messages will always be delivered to your inbox.

For more information and instructions for older versions of Outlook, see: Microsoft's Junk Email Folder Overview

All other email clients

As of this time, no other email clients allow you to manage your Safe Senders and Blocked Senders lists. While you can move messages to/from the Junk folder and review the Junk folder, none of these actions will affect your Safe Senders and Blocked Senders lists. To manage your Safe Senders and and Blocked Senders lists, we recommend using OWA (Outlook Web Access).

See Also

• Microsoft's Overview of the Junk Email Filter
• Spam Filtering Landing Page
• Why am I still getting mail from somebody I added to my blocked senders list?