Outlook’s built-in spam filters are designed to protect you from unwanted or suspicious messages, but sometimes they’re too strict. Important emails from clients, colleagues, or even friends can end up in Junk or get blocked entirely. When that happens, you could miss critical information or delay responses that matter.
The good news? You can easily unblock email in Outlook and make sure trusted senders land back in your inbox. The process looks a little different on desktop, web, and mobile, but it only takes a few clicks on each.
According to Campaign Monitor, professionals send and receive an average of 121 business emails every day. With that level of traffic, Outlook’s filters sometimes make mistakes. A few quick checks can make sure legitimate messages aren’t caught in the wrong place.
(Gmail user? Here’s how to unlock emails in Gmail.)
What happens when you block an email?
When you block a sender in Outlook, any future messages from that address are automatically sent to the Junk Email folder. Outlook also flags them as spam and hides notifications. It’s a useful way to keep your inbox clear of unwanted messages, but it can also block someone by accident.
For example, if a message looks suspicious or contains too many links, Outlook’s filters may add the sender to your blocked list even if it’s legitimate. Once that happens, new messages from that person or domain will never appear in your inbox until you manually remove the blocked sender in Outlook.
That’s where unblocking comes in.
How to unblock emails in Outlook (desktop)
If you use Outlook for Windows or Mac, you can unblock senders directly through the Junk Email settings.
- Open Outlook and go to the Home tab.
- Click Junk → Junk E-mail Options.
- Select the Blocked Senders tab.
- Find the email address or domain you want to unblock.
- Click Remove → Apply → OK.
Once removed, messages from that sender will go to your inbox again instead of Junk. Outlook will also learn from your choice, helping it recognize similar emails as safe in the future.
Add trusted senders in desktop Outlook
If you often miss messages from people you trust, adding them to your Safe Senders list keeps their emails exactly where they belong: your inbox.
- Open Junk E-mail Options → Safe Senders.
- Click Add → enter the email address or domain → OK.
- Check “Also trust e-mail from my Contacts” for added reliability.
How to unblock emails in Outlook web (Outlook.com)
If you use the web version of Outlook, unblocking is just as easy through the settings menu.
- Sign in to Outlook.com.
- Click the Settings (⚙) icon → View all Outlook settings.
- Select Mail → Junk email.
- Under Blocked senders and domains, find the address you want to unblock.
- Click the trash bin icon to remove it from the list.
- Click Save to confirm.
After you remove a blocked sender, their emails should begin appearing in your inbox again. If you don’t see new messages right away, refresh the page or check your Junk folder for recently filtered mail.
Adding safe senders on Outlook web
Keep future emails from key contacts front and center by marking them as safe in your Outlook web settings.
- From the same Junk email settings menu, scroll to Safe senders and domains.
- Click Add.
- Enter the email address or domain.
- Select Save to confirm.
If you’re using Outlook on multiple devices, these changes may take a few minutes to sync across all platforms. This ensures consistency between your desktop, web, and mobile inboxes.
How to unblock emails in the Outlook mobile app
If you’re managing email on the go, you can quickly unblock senders right from the Outlook mobile app (Android and iOS) in just a few taps.
- Open the Outlook app.
- Tap the sender’s name in a blocked message.
- Tap the three dots (⋮) or More options in the corner.
- Select Unblock sender if the option appears.
- If not, open Settings → Mail → Blocked senders.
- Remove the address manually from the list.
Your Outlook app should now accept messages from that address. If emails still go to Junk, double-check your web or desktop settings to make sure the change has synced.
Tip: Mobile and desktop settings share data, but depending on your Outlook version, you might need to refresh or restart the app for changes to apply.
Troubleshooting: Why Outlook blocks some emails
Outlook’s spam filters are powered by Microsoft’s SmartScreen technology, which uses pattern recognition and global data to identify unwanted messages. While it catches the vast majority of spam, occasional false positives are inevitable.
Here are some of the most common reasons legitimate emails get blocked:
- Spam-like formatting such as excessive links, caps, or images.
- Reputation issues from the sender’s domain or mail server.
- User error, such as marking a sender as Junk by mistake.
- Company-wide security policies that flag unknown senders or attachments.
- Expired Safe Sender entries that no longer sync across accounts.
According to Statista, spam still makes up over 45% of all global email traffic. It’s no surprise that filters err on the side of caution. But when that caution hides something important, manual unblocking is the fix.
Related read: How to archive emails in Outlook
How to prevent future blocked contacts in Outlook
The best way to manage your inbox is to keep control of what Outlook considers “safe.” Here are a few habits that help reduce future issues:
- Regularly check your Junk folder: Review it once a week for messages that shouldn’t be there.
- Add known contacts to Safe Senders: This is especially useful for clients or vendors who send attachments.
- Avoid unnecessary “Report junk” clicks: Each time you do, Outlook becomes more aggressive.
- Create rules for trusted domains: Automatically route messages from key clients to specific folders.
- Keep your app and browser updated: Outdated versions sometimes fail to sync settings properly.
If you manage a shared mailbox or use Outlook in an organization, check with your IT team. They may have centralized spam filters that override personal settings.
Unblock what matters and simplify the rest
Unblocking emails in Outlook takes just a few minutes but can save hours of missed messages and back-and-forths. Whether you’re on desktop, web, or mobile, the fix is simple: review your Blocked Senders, move trusted contacts to Safe Senders, and make sure everything syncs across devices. A quick check now keeps your inbox running smoothly later.
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Unblocking emails in Outlook FAQs
How do I see blocked senders in Outlook?
Go to Junk Email Options (desktop) or Mail → Junk email (web) and open your Blocked Senders list. All blocked addresses and domains will appear there.
Why are emails from safe senders still going to Junk?
Even safe senders can end up in Junk if their messages include flagged content like attachments, large images, or suspicious links.
How long does it take for unblocked emails to appear?
Usually, changes take effect immediately. In some cases, syncing between Outlook versions or devices can take several minutes.
What’s the difference between blocking and reporting spam?
Blocking stops one specific sender. Reporting spam helps Microsoft improve its filters for all users by analyzing message patterns.
Where is the block sender button in Outlook?
You can find it by selecting a message, then clicking Home → Junk → Block Sender on desktop, or by tapping More Options → Block Sender in the Outlook web and mobile apps.
When you block a sender in Outlook, do they know?
No, blocked senders aren’t notified. Their messages are quietly redirected to your Junk folder.
How many senders can you block in Outlook?
You can have up to 10,000 addresses or domains across your blocked and safe sender lists. If you need more, block full domains instead of individual email addresses.