How to Create Email Filters in cPanel
Filters run on the server before mail reaches any device — so a rule made once works in Outlook, webmail and your phone simultaneously.
Step-by-step
- Choose the right tool. Email → Email Filters applies rules to one mailbox; Global Email Filters applies to every address on the domain.
- Click Manage Filters next to the account (for per-mailbox filters), then Create a New Filter.
- Name the filter descriptively, e.g. "Invoices to Accounts folder".
- Set the rule. Choose a field (From, Subject, Body…), a comparison (contains, equals, matches regex…) and the text to match.
- Add multiple conditions with the + button, combining with and/or.
- Choose the action: Deliver to folder, Redirect to another address, Discard, or Fail with message. Multiple actions can be stacked.
- Save, then test. Use the Filter Test box to paste a sample message and confirm the rule fires.
💡 Good to know
- Filters process in order, top to bottom — drag to reorder; the first matching Discard stops later rules.
- Deliver-to-folder needs the folder to exist — create it in webmail first.
- Use filters to auto-delete recurring newsletters you cannot unsubscribe from, rather than marking spam.