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Handling Unwanted Messages in Outlook and Exchange Online

There are several different kinds of unwanted messages: messages that are no longer relevant (but that at one point you did want), messages that you may have at one time wanted but cannot seem to be removed from their mailing list, and unsolicited (spam) messages. How you handle them depends on which type they are and which interface you’re using (the Outlook app or Exchange Online).

Messages that are no longer relevant

For mailing lists you signed up for that you know are coming from legitimate sources you should be able to use the unsubscribe button/link in their email to remove yourself from their mailing list. Usually when you unsubscribe yourself you will get a message from the company confirming that you have been removed and advising how long it will take to remove you from their mailing list. Most companies will take at least two weeks to remove your email address from their list.

Dealing with messages that are no longer relevant and that you have unsubscribed from but that continue to be delivered to you anyway

Occasionally unsubscribing from a company’s mailing list will not work. Even unsubscribing multiple times does not address the problem.

To rid yourself of these types of messages when you receive an email from the sender:

Click on the message to highlight it in Outlook.
From the toolbar select Junk –> Block Senders.
Click the OK button in the dialog box that appears.

The sender has been added to your Blocked Senders list.

Manually editing your email block list

You can also edit your blocked list and add and remove email addresses.

Open the message and copy the email address of the sender.
Right-click on the message and select Junk –> Junk E-mail Options.
Click the Blocked Senders tab.
Select Add to add an email address to be blocked.
Paste in the email address you copied and click OK.

Manually editing your Outlook email block list using Exchange Online

In your web browser:

Go to webmail.bcit.ca and login using your usual BCIT login credentials.
Click the gear icon in the top right corner.
Click the Junk email tab.
Click the + Add beneath the Blocked senders and domains heading.
Type in the address you want to block and hit Enter.

More resources about Microsoft Exchange and Outlook email