Spam Folder Explained: How to Check and Use It

What Is a Spam Folder and How Does It Work?

A spam folder is a location in your mailbox that holds messages believed to be “junk.” If your email service provider spots a red flag such as trigger words in the subject or body, a bad sender score, or authentication issues, it moves the email to this folder to keep it out of your inbox.

While you can rely on your provider, you can also mark emails as junk yourself. As you peruse your inbox, you may see a suspicious email, one with provocative messaging, or even an email asking for personal information. With a click or tap, you can designate that message as junk and send it to your spam folder.

Where Is My Spam Folder?

Not everyone checks their spam folder on a regular basis. In fact, some may not open it at all. However, it’s a good idea to browse through this folder on occasion to make sure that the emails within it are truly junk mail.

If you aren’t sure where to find the folder to give it a once-over, here are the steps to locate it using a few popular email services: Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail.

How to Find the Spam Folder in Gmail

If you’re a Google user, you can access and view your spam folder in Gmail in just a few steps.

1. On the web, head to https://mail.google.com/mail/ and log in with your Google account.
2. Display the left-hand main menu by doing one of the following:
   • Select the Show main menu icon (three lines) on the top left.
   • Hover your cursor over the Mail icon on the left.

1. Choose Spam to open the folder. Note that you may need to expand More at the bottom of the top menu section.

If you don’t see the Gmail Spam folder, it might be hidden from the menu completely.

1. To unhide it, select the gear icon on the top right and pick See All Settings in the sidebar.
2. Go to the Labels tab and you’ll see the Gmail Spam settings in the System Labels section. Click Show and the folder immediately displays in the menu.

In the mobile app, view spam emails in Gmail by tapping the hamburger menu icon on the top left and choosing Spam.

How to Check Spam Folder in Outlook

Finding the spam folder in Outlook is just as easy as in Gmail; however, the folder is labeled Junk Email.

1. On the web, visit https://outlook.live.com/ and log in with your Microsoft account.
2. Display the left-hand menu by selecting the Show navigation pane icon (three lines) on the top left.
3. Expand the Folders section in the pane and choose Junk Email.

In the mobile app, view spam in Outlook by tapping your profile icon on the top left to display the menu and selecting Junk.

How to Find the Spam Folder in Yahoo Mail

Maybe you’ve bypassed both Gmail and Outlook to use Yahoo Mail. You’ll be glad to know it’s just as simple to find your junk mail folder there.

1. On the web, go to https://mail.yahoo.com/ and log in with your Yahoo account.
2. If you have more than one connected email account, select the one you want to use at the top of the left-hand menu.
3. Expand More in the Inbox section of that menu.
4. Select Spam to see what’s inside.

In the mobile app, access the Yahoo Mail junk mail folder by tapping the Inbox icon on the bottom left and selecting Spam.

How to Report Emails as Spam

If you receive an email that you believe is junk, a scam, or a phishing attempt, you can report it yourself. Although most email providers do a good job at spotting junk messages, scammers and tricksters are getting more clever all the time. This means it can be hard to spot a malicious message. So if you do, it’s best to mark the email as spam.

Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail on the web make it easy to report unsolicited emails and even phishing. With the message selected, click the Report Spam or Report button in the top toolbar and follow the prompts.

In the Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo Mail mobile app, tap the three dots at the top or bottom of the email, depending on the app, and pick the Report Spam or Report Junk option.

If you want to take your reports further, you can go straight to the Federal Trade Commission. This government branch offers a website dedicated to reporting fraud in most any form. Visit ReportFraud.ftc.gov for information and steps to report and stop spam emails.

How to Prevent Emails From Going to Spam

Sometimes emails land in the spam folder that aren’t actually junk. It could be a message from a new business contact, service company, or shopping facility that your email provider believes to be an advertisement or scam rather than a legitimate message.

If you notice messages in your junk mail folder that shouldn’t be there, you can take steps to stop these emails going to spam moving forward. This way, your email provider allows those messages to arrive in your inbox instead of directing them to the junk folder.

Mark the Email as Not Spam

One way to teach your email provider that a message isn’t junk is by marking it as such. Select the email in the spam folder and use the Not Spam or Not Junk option in the toolbar or the More menu on mobile. The original “report spam” option transforms into a “not spam” option, making it easy.

Set Up an Inbox Filter or Rule

Another way to make your emails avoid the spam folder is to set up a filter or rule. Popular email service providers including Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail provide this feature. In Gmail and Outlook, you can also fine-tune your junk mail settings. Look at how to create a Gmail spam filter or an Outlook spam filter for complete details.

Add the Sender to Contacts

One more thing you can do is to add the email sender to your contact list. Most times, email service providers believe that if you have the sender in your contacts, then you must trust and want their messages. You’ll normally see an Add Sender to Contacts option when you hover your cursor over the message or in the three-dot menu on the web and in the mobile apps.

The purpose of the spam folder and your email service provider’s desire to move messages there is to better protect you from unwanted and possibly dangerous emails. But there’s more you can do to secure your inbox which is where Clean Email can help.

Wrap-Up

Knowing where to find your spam folder and how to use it effectively can protect you against malicious messages. And, if you want to take your inbox management and security up a level, the features Clean Email offers can give you peace of mind.