How to Set Up E-mail Filters

E-mail filters can block spam, or junk e-mail, and other unwanted e-mail messages by automatically deleting them. Filters can also be used to sort incoming messages into particular folders.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computers
• Microsoft Outlook

1. Open your e-mail program.
2. Locate the Filters section, usually found under Edit, Options or Tools on the menu bar.
3. Click New and type the name of the new filter. Make sure it's easy to remember, such as "Junk E-mail."
4. Enter the filter conditions, or "rules." Conditions are requirements the e-mail must meet (for example, the sender is Joe Smith or the subject includes the words "Make Money Fast!") in order for the action (such as deleting the message) to take place.
5. Select the action you want the program to perform with filtered e-mail. You can delete the message, move it to another folder, or request other actions, depending on the mail program.
6. Click OK or Save to save your new filter. Add more filters as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• In Netscape Messenger, the filters are found under the Message Filters command in the Edit menu.
• In Microsoft Outlook, open the Tools menu, select Message Rules, and then Mail.
• You can select multiple conditions for the same filter (such as mail from "Joe Smith" with "Company Accounts" in the header).
• Your e-mail program's Help file contains more information about customizing mail filters.
• Avoid overly general e-mail filters. Filtering e-mail from "Joe A. Smith" is fine, but filtering e-mail from "Smith" means you might miss e-mail from other Smiths.