How to Stop Spam Reaching Your Inbox
A layered approach beats spam best: tune the server filter, block repeat offenders, and avoid exposing your address. Here is the full toolkit.
Step-by-step
- Tune the spam filter. Email → Spam Filters — ensure it is on and consider lowering the threshold score slightly (see spam filters).
- Move spam to a folder, not the inbox, by enabling Spam Box, so you can review false positives.
- Blacklist persistent senders and whitelist trusted ones — see blacklisting.
- Fix a spammy catch-all. A catch-all address attracts huge spam — set the default address to discard-with-error instead (see role addresses).
- Use filters for stubborn patterns — global filters can discard recurring junk by subject or sender.
- Protect your address — avoid publishing it as plain text on your website; use a contact form instead.
💡 Good to know
- Never click "unsubscribe" on obvious spam — it confirms your address is active.
- Catch-all addresses are spam magnets; explicit addresses receive far less.
- Review the Spam folder occasionally so genuine mail is not lost.