How to Block Certain IP Addresses in an Email Folder

You can use Internet Protocol (IP) address blocking in your email application's rules to block emails from an IP address that is sending you spam or other email messages you do not want to receive. You should use this in addition to standard spam blocker services; the IP addresses of computers sending you emails may change over time, so this may only temporarily block incoming messages. Apply this rule to a folder of received email to retroactively filter these unwanted messages from the messages you have already received.

Instructions

1. Create a new email rule in your email software. In Outlook, select "Rules Wizard" from the "Tools" menu. In Macintosh Mail, select "Preferences" and click on the "Rules" icon.

2. Set the matching field, usually selected from a drop down menu, to "Any Internet Header." This may be "Any Header" in some email software.

3. Set the matching condition, usually selected from a drop down menu, to "Contains."

4. Enter the IP address you wish to block in the field containing the text to match for this rule.

5. Click "OK" or "Apply." Your rule will now be applied to incoming messages.

6. Apply your rule to old messages. In Outlook, select a message in the folder you wish to filter. Choose "Tools" > "Rules and Alerts." Click the "Run Rules Now" button, and select the check box for the rule you just created. Click on "Run rules on the current folder." In Macintosh Mail, select the messages you wish to filter and choose "Messages" > "Apply Rules."

References

• microsoft.com: Run rules manually
• apple.com: Managing messages using rules