Setting up spam filters and recognizing legitimate emails.

Here are the steps for setting up basic spam filters in Gmail and Yahoo Mail, along with Outlook, Hotmail (Outlook.com), and AOL Mail.

1. Gmail

Step-by-Step:

1. Login to Gmail:
   • Go to Gmail and log in with your Google account.
2. Access Settings:
   • Click on the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
   • Select “See all settings” from the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to Filters and Blocked Addresses:
   • Go to the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab.
4. Create a New Filter:
   • Click on “Create a new filter.”
   • Enter criteria for filtering emails, such as the sender’s email address or keywords.
5. Apply the Filter:
   • Click “Create filter.”
   • Choose actions such as “Delete it,” “Mark as spam,” or “Never send it to Spam” based on your preferences.
   • Click “Create filter” to apply the filter.

Source: Google Support – Create rules to filter your emails

2. Yahoo Mail

Step-by-Step:

1. Login to Yahoo Mail:
   • Go to Yahoo Mail and log in with your Yahoo account.
2. Access Settings:
   • Click on the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
   • Select “More Settings” from the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to Filters:
   • Go to the “Filters” tab on the left side.
   • Click on “Add new filters.”
4. Create and Apply a Filter:
   • Enter a name for the filter.
   • Set the criteria for filtering emails, such as sender, subject, or keywords.
   • Choose the folder where you want the filtered emails to go (e.g., “Spam” or “Trash”).
   • Click “Save” to apply the filter.

Source: Yahoo Help – Create and manage filters

3. Outlook (Desktop Application)

Step-by-Step:

1. Open Outlook:
   • Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
2. Access Junk Email Options:
   • Go to the “Home” tab.
   • Click on “Junk” in the “Delete” group.
   • Select “Junk E-mail Options” from the dropdown menu.
3. Configure Settings:
   • Choose the level of protection you want:
     • Low: Moves the most obvious spam to the Junk E-mail folder.
     • High: Moves most junk emails to the Junk E-mail folder but might also move some legitimate emails.
     • Safe Lists Only: Only emails from your Safe Senders List will go to your Inbox; all others will be moved to the Junk E-mail folder.
4. Add Safe Senders and Blocked Senders:
   • Go to the “Safe Senders” tab to add email addresses you trust.
   • Go to the “Blocked Senders” tab to add email addresses you want to block.

Source: Microsoft Support – Block or allow (junk email settings)

4. Hotmail (Outlook.com)

Step-by-Step:

1. Login to Outlook.com:
   • Go to Outlook.com and log in with your Microsoft account.
2. Access Settings:
   • Click on the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
   • Select “View all Outlook settings” at the bottom of the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to Junk Email Settings:
   • Go to “Mail” > “Junk email.”
4. Configure Spam Filters:
   • Add email addresses to the “Safe senders and domains” list.
   • Add email addresses to the “Blocked senders and domains” list.
   • You can also enable “Filters” to choose what to do with emails from unknown senders.

Source: Microsoft Support – Block senders or mark email as junk in Outlook.com

5. AOL Mail

Step-by-Step:

1. Login to AOL Mail:
   • Go to AOL Mail and log in with your AOL account.
2. Access Spam Settings:
   • Click on “Options” in the upper-right corner.
   • Select “Mail Settings” from the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to Spam Settings:
   • Go to the “Spam Settings” tab on the left side.
4. Configure Spam Filters:
   • Set the spam filter level to “Low,” “Medium,” or “High.”
   • Add email addresses to the “Sender Filter” list to always accept or block certain senders.
   • You can also manage blocked mail by choosing to delete it immediately or send it to the spam folder.

Source: AOL Help – Manage spam and privacy

By following these steps, you can set up basic spam filters in Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook, Hotmail (Outlook.com), and AOL Mail, helping you manage and reduce unwanted emails effectively. If your mail services is not covered email us and we will help you!