How to Whitelist an Email Sender in Outlook.com

If you're missing important emails because they're being sent to your spam or junk folder, then you may have to whitelist the sender or an entire domain name to ensure that those emails go where they're supposed to: your inbox. The procedure for whitelisting depends on your email service. If you're using Microsoft's Outlook.com (formerly Microsoft's Hotmail and Windows Live Hotmail), follow these steps to whitelist make sure you receive all the messages you need to be reading.

Check the Junk Folder

Regularly check your Junk Email folder to make sure that important messages aren't ending up in there. The Outlook Junk Email Filter automatically moves suspected spam to the Junk Email folder based on a variety of factors, including time and content of the email. If an email from a sender you want to whitelist has ended up in your junk folder, the process is simple. Click on Show Content to view the body of the email. Next, click Mark as Safe. The sender will be added to your Safe Senders list, and all future emails should go to your inbox.

Manually Add Contacts to the Safe Senders List

You can also manually add email addresses or domains to your Safe Senders list in Outlook.com to permanently whitelist them. To do this, choose Settings, then Options. In the left pane, choose Junk Email, then Safe Senders. In the box, enter the email addresses or domains that you want to whitelist, and select the Add button. Click Save, and you're all set.

Automatically Add Contacts to the Safe Senders List

You can also choose to have the email addresses to which you send emails automatically added to the Safe Senders list in Outlook.com. First, click on Home, then choose Junk, and then Junk Email Options. On the Safe Senders tab, make sure the box is checked next to Automatically add people I email to the Safe Senders list.

Manually Unblock Senders

Beyond checking your Junk folder, look at your Blocked Senders list occasionally to make sure it doesn't contain friendly senders. To do this, choose Settings, then Options. In the left pane, choose Junk Email, then Blocked Senders. Select the address or domain that you want to unblock, and click the trash bin icon that's next to it. Do this for everything that you want to be removed, and click Save.

Another Tip

You no longer have the option of simply adding senders to your contact list or address book to have them automatically whitelisted. Outlook.com will still send emails to your junk folder unless the sender is on your Safe Senders list. To be absolutely sure you receive your important emails, check your Junk folder and manually add email addresses and domains to your Safe Senders list.