Outlook.com junk email settings reset themselves

Question

Outlook.com junk email settings reset themselves

Jonathan Hatchuel 0

On Outlook.com, I click the setting icon (gear - top right), I click Junk Email and select the radio button for Standard (changed from Strict). I click Save and all seems good with the world. But almost ALL of my email is filtering to Junk - I have to wade through dozens of junk emails every dat to find the legitimate ones.

I go back to Outlook.com and it's reset itself back to Strict. Ad infinitum...

I do use Outlook Classic on Windows, Outlook for Mac and Outlook on my IOS and IpadOS devices, but none of these have jun settings any more, so surely it's controlled by Outlook.com?

Ignoring the fact that I had to log in no fewer than 6 times to get to this point, I'm at the point where switching email addresses after 30 years seems the only real solution...

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3 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

@Jonathan Hatchuel said

[Outlook Web Junk Strict/Standard not sticking]

There was a rash of these reports back in 2024. It was a problem with the Microsoft servers. But I don't see anything recent.

At this point I would have to say that it's a problem with just your account. All I can suggest is Microsoft Support so they can examine your tenant on the server.

Logon to https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/
From the main menu: Help -> ? Help
{This should open the Help side panel}
Search Help -> {Your problem} and press Enter
Still need help? [Yes]
If you get "We're here to help": Tell us your problem -> {Your problem, again} [Get Help]
[Sign In] {Use any Outlook/Microsoft account}
Choose a support option -> Chat with a support agent in your web browser

Answer 2

Jonathan Hatchuel 0

As if on cue, Outlook just filtered the above AI answer to Junk Email. [email protected] is already in my safe senders list.

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Answer 3

For Outlook.com, the supported workaround for junk filtering behavior that does not stick correctly is to toggle the setting and let the service resync:

In Outlook.com, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email.
Change Incoming mail handling from Strict to Standard or, if it is already behaving incorrectly, switch it to Strict first.
Select Save.
Sign out of Outlook.com.
Sign back in.
Return to Settings > Mail > Junk email.
Set Incoming mail handling to Standard.
Select Save again.

This reset can take a few hours before junk mail starts routing correctly again.

Also check the Outlook.com junk settings directly in the web UI, because that is where blocked senders and junk handling are managed for Outlook on the web/Outlook.com:

Settings > Mail > Junk email
Review Blocked senders and Blocked domains and remove anything that should not be there.
If legitimate mail is being treated as junk, add trusted senders to the safe senders list where applicable.

If mail is still going to Junk after that, check for Outlook.com rules that may be moving messages unexpectedly:

Open Outlook.com on a computer.
Go to Settings > Mail > Rules.
Remove or disable any rule that moves mail to Junk or another folder.

For classic Outlook on Windows, junk filtering options were removed in some builds and later restored. That explains why those settings may have disappeared in the desktop app. Outlook.com web settings remain the correct place to review junk handling for Outlook.com mail.