How to Stop Junk Emails from Filling Your Inbox

Junk emails are a daily frustration for anyone trying to stay organized. The average user receives around 1,825 spam emails per year, amounting to a staggering 14.5 billion spam emails daily worldwide. For professionals, this constant influx of irrelevant messages clutters inboxes, wastes time, and makes it harder to focus on what truly matters. 

But what if you could take control of your inbox and stop these distractions? In this blog, we’ll explore practical steps to filter out unwanted emails and safeguard your inbox with smarter settings. Let’s get started. 

In A Nutshell:

• Junk Emails: On average, users receive 1,825 spam emails per year, contributing to inbox clutter.

• Effective Email Management: Block spam addresses, use third-party filters, and unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters to reduce junk emails.

• Improve Email Security: Avoid suspicious links and attachments, enable two-factor authentication, and be cautious with personal info requests.

• Protect Your Data: Use email aliases, keep software up-to-date, and limit your online exposure to safeguard against spam.

• Regular Inbox Maintenance: Report spam, delete suspicious emails, and allow your provider’s filters to improve with each action.

What are Junk Emails?

Junk emails, often referred to as spam, are unsolicited messages that flood your inbox, cluttering up your email space. These emails typically come from unknown senders, offering everything from questionable products and services to fake promotions and scams. 

While some may be harmless, many are designed to deceive you into clicking on links that could compromise your personal information or infect your system with malware. Junk emails are sent in bulk to as many recipients as possible, without any prior consent or serving any useful purpose for the recipient. 

Recognizing and managing these unwanted emails can help you reclaim control over your inbox, making it easier to focus on what truly matters.

Also Read: Why Am I Not Receiving Emails: Simple Fixes and Solutions

Now that we’ve covered what junk emails are, let’s look at how you can identify them in your inbox.

How to Identify a Junk Email

Being able to spot spam and phishing emails is crucial for protecting your personal and financial data. Here are some key signs that an email might be junk:

• Generic Greetings: Be wary of emails that start with impersonal phrases like “Dear Customer” or “Hello Friend.” Legitimate businesses usually address you by name.

• Suspicious Email Addresses: Always double-check the sender’s email address. Fraudulent emails may come from addresses that look odd or don’t exactly match the official domain of the company (e.g., “@paypaIs.com” instead of “@paypal.com”).

• Poor Language Quality: Spam emails often come with sloppy spelling, grammar mistakes, or awkward phrasing. If an email seems unprofessional or hurried, it’s likely to be a scam.

• Branding Inconsistencies: Phishing emails frequently try to imitate a company’s design. However, small details, like a mismatched logo or incorrect fonts, are usually a giveaway.

• Too-Good-To-Be-True Offers: If an email promises something that sounds too good to be true, like a massive cash prize or a free trip, it probably is.

• Unexpected Attachments: Be extra cautious with attachments, especially if you weren’t expecting them. Opening these can install malware on your device, compromising your privacy.

• Pressure Tactics: Emails that ask for sensitive information, like your password or credit card number, or urge you to act quickly (e.g., clicking a link or providing details) are almost certainly phishing attempts. Legitimate companies will never request this kind of information via email.

  

Recognizing these common signs helps you avoid falling victim to spam and phishing attacks. NewMail AI can further help by organizing your inbox and prioritizing important emails, ensuring you stay on top of what matters without the clutter. Try NewMail AI today!

Once you know how to spot these unwanted emails, it’s time to take action and stop them from flooding your inbox.

How to Stop Junk Emails from Filling Your Inbox

With a few simple strategies, you can significantly reduce the number of junk emails and regain control of your inbox.

1. Block Spam Email Addresses

Blocking spam email addresses ensures that unwanted emails from specific senders no longer make it to your inbox. Here’s how you can block spam email addresses:

• Gmail
  
  

  1. Open the email from the spam sender.

  2. Check the box next to the email.

  3. Click the three vertical dots at the top of your inbox and select Filter messages like these.

  4. Click Create filter.

  5. Choose Delete it under the list of actions.

  6. Click Create filter to confirm.
     
     

• Apple Mail
  
  

  1. Open the spam email.

  2. In the message header, click the arrow next to the sender’s name.

  3. Select Block Contact.
     
     

• Outlook
  
  

  1. Right-click the spam email.

  2. Select Security options and click Block Sender.

2. Use a Third-Party Email Filter

Sometimes, built-in email filters can't catch every spam email. To further strengthen your defenses, consider using a third-party filter that complements your existing spam protection. Third-party filters like Mailwasher, SpamTitan, and SpamSieve each offer robust features to enhance your inbox management strategy.

NewMail AI complements your existing spam protection by seamlessly integrating with Gmail and Apple Mail, offering advanced features like:

• Prioritizing and sorting emails based on personal preferences.

• Automatically filtering out spam and irrelevant messages.

• Categorizing emails using intelligent tagging.

• Generating smart drafts for quick and professional responses.

By integrating NewMail AI, you enhance your spam filtering and improve email organization and productivity, without drastic changes to your existing settings.

Also Read: Advanced Email Filtering and Sorting Processes

3. Only Accept Trusted Contacts

Creating a list of trusted contacts helps to ensure that important emails from legitimate senders stand out, while everything else gets filtered out.

• Gmail
  
  

  1. Open an email from a trusted sender.

  2. Hover over the sender’s name and click Add to Contacts.
     
     

• Apple Mail
  
  

  1. Open an email from a trusted sender.

  2. Click the arrow next to the sender’s name and select Add to Contacts.
     
     

• Outlook
  
  

  1. Open the email from the trusted sender.

  2. Hover over the sender’s name, click the three dots icon, and select Add to Contacts.

4. Change Your Email Privacy Settings

By adjusting your email privacy settings, you can limit who can access your inbox, reducing exposure to unwanted email senders.

• Gmail
  
  

  1. Click your account icon in the upper-right corner.

  2. Select Manage your Google Account.

  3. Head to Security, and review third-party access to your account. Remove access for any apps sending unwanted spam.
     
     

• Apple Mail
  
  

  1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your Mac and select System Preferences.

  2. Choose Security & Privacy, and adjust settings as needed to limit access.
     
     

• Outlook
  
  

  1. Click the account icon in the upper-right corner.

  2. Select My Microsoft Account, then navigate to Privacy > Privacy Dashboard.

  3. Remove any apps with access that might be sending you spam.

5. Report the Email as Spam

Reporting spam emails helps your email provider improve its filtering system by identifying recurring spam senders.

• Gmail
  
  

  1. Check the box next to the spam email.

  2. Click Report Spam in the toolbar at the top.
     
     

• Apple Mail
  
  

  1. Click on the spam email you want to report.

  2. Click the Junk Mail icon in the toolbar to mark it as spam.
     
     

• Outlook
  
  

  1. Right-click the email and select Mark as junk.

6. Delete Suspicious Emails

If you’ve opened a suspicious email, immediately delete it to avoid any further risk of spam or security issues.

• Gmail
  
  

  1. Go to your Spam folder in the left navigation panel.

  2. Click Delete all spam messages now at the top and confirm by clicking OK.
     
     

• Apple Mail
  
  

  1. Go to the Junk Mail folder in the left panel.

  2. Highlight the unwanted messages and click the trash can icon.
     
     

• Outlook
  
  

  1. Open your Junk Email folder.

  2. Click Delete all to clear the entire folder.

7. Check If Your Email is on the Dark Web

If your email has been exposed on the dark web, it could lead to an increase in spam and phishing attempts. Use a dark web scanner to check if your data has been leaked.

8. Use an Email Alias

An email alias lets you create an alternative email address that forwards emails to your primary inbox, helping you keep your main email secure and free of spam.

• How to Set Up an Alias:
  
  

  1. Go to your email settings.

  2. Locate the Aliases or Manage Account section.

  3. Create a new email address that will forward to your primary inbox.

9. Use SPF and DKIM Email Authentication

Implementing email authentication methods like SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) can help ensure that the emails you receive are legitimate.

• SPF: Verifies that emails come from authorized servers.

• DKIM: Checks the cryptographic signature of an email’s content and sender.

You can inspect email headers in Gmail, Apple Mail, or Outlook to verify SPF and DKIM authentication.

10. Unsubscribe from Unwanted Newsletters or Mailing Lists

One of the easiest ways to reduce spam is by unsubscribing from newsletters or mailing lists that you no longer wish to receive.

• How to Unsubscribe:
  
  

  1. Enter “unsubscribe” in the email search bar.

  2. Scroll to the bottom of the email and click the Unsubscribe link.

  3. Follow the prompts to unsubscribe, which may involve confirming your choice.

11. Manually Opt-Out of Data Broker Directories

Data brokers gather and sell your personal information, potentially adding you to spam mailing lists. Search for the data brokers collecting your information and contact them directly to opt out. Or, use a service to automate this process for you.

12. Disable Auto-Load for Images

Disabling auto-loading of images in emails helps protect your privacy, as some spam emails use hidden images to track when and where you open them.

• Gmail
  
  

  1. Go to Settings.

  2. Under General, scroll to Images and select Ask before displaying external images.
     
     

• Apple Mail
  
  

  1. Go to Preferences > Viewing.

  2. Uncheck Load remote content in messages.

Outlook has this setting turned on by default. 

13. Limit Sharing Your Primary Email

Sharing your email address online increases the chances of receiving spam. To protect your main inbox, consider using a secondary email or alias when signing up for services or online accounts. This keeps your primary email secure and free from unnecessary junk.

14. Start Fresh with a New Email Account

If your inbox is overwhelmed with spam and the previous methods haven't worked, creating a new email account might be your best option. Once you set up the new account, inform your important contacts and use it exclusively for essential communications to keep it secure and spam-free.

Following these detailed steps helps to reduce spam and regain control over your inbox significantly. 

Also Read: How to Declutter Email Inbox Effectively

Although you can tackle junk emails head-on, there are ways to ensure they don’t keep coming back.

Preventing Future Junk Emails from Flooding Your Inbox

While eliminating spam is challenging, there are steps you can take to reduce unwanted emails significantly. Here’s how you can minimize exposure and keep your inbox organized:

• Encrypt Your Internet Traffic: Use a VPN to protect your email sign-ins and browsing activities. This ensures your email and password remain private, reducing the chances of unauthorized access.

• Avoid Clicking on Unknown Links or Attachments: One of the most effective ways to avoid phishing attacks is to not interact with suspicious emails. If you're unsure about an email's authenticity, it’s safer to ignore the link or attachment.

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): This adds an extra security layer. Even if a phishing attack compromises your password, the attacker would still need access to your second authentication method to access your account.

• Keep Your Software Up to Date: Regularly update your email client, antivirus software, and operating system. These updates often include important security patches to protect you from potential vulnerabilities.

• Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Requests for Personal Information: Always be cautious when asked for sensitive details, whether it’s an email, phone call, or text. Verify the source independently before sharing any personal information.

• Limit Your Online Data Exposure: Reduce your personal data exposure by using data removal services to remove your details from data broker databases. The less personal info available online, the harder it is for scammers to target you with convincing phishing attempts.

• Educate Yourself and Others: The more you understand spam, phishing, and how to identify malicious emails, the better you'll be at avoiding them. Sharing this knowledge with your family and friends can protect them as well.

But taking action doesn’t have to stop at security alone. To fully regain control of your inbox, consider integrating smarter email management into your workflow. With NewMail AI, you can automate spam filtering, categorize emails intelligently, and even prioritize important messages, making your email experience safe and productive.

Following these steps reduces spam and ensures your main accounts stay free from unwanted emails.

Conclusion

Spam emails may never be entirely avoidable, but by implementing these smart strategies, you can drastically reduce their impact on your daily workflow. Taking proactive steps, such as enabling two-factor authentication, being cautious with subscriptions, or using a VPN, helps you manage your email better and stay focused. 

Managing junk emails doesn’t have to be a constant battle. With NewMail AI, you can automate email management and keep unwanted messages at bay. Here’s how NewMail AI can help you: 

• Personalized Priority: NewMail AI automatically sorts and ranks your emails based on importance, ensuring junk and irrelevant messages are filtered out.

• Smart Drafts: Quickly respond to emails with high-quality, context-driven drafts, saving you time and minimizing the clutter in your inbox.

• Intelligent Tagging: Organize emails into smart folders, so you can easily find what’s important and avoid wasting time on junk emails.

• Daily Briefings: Start your day with a summary of key emails and calendar events, leaving you prepared and focused without sifting through unnecessary messages.

• Actionable Insights: NewMail AI automatically links action items to your to-do list, so you can track tasks without getting distracted by spam or junk emails.

• Simplified Scheduling: Manage your calendar events effortlessly, ensuring you're never bogged down by missed appointments or email overload.

  

With NewMail AI, your inbox stays clean, your tasks remain organized, and you can focus on what matters most. Get started today and experience a clutter-free inbox!