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important note
- If you have set your email client to use IMAP (which ITS strongly recommends) and you already use filters, you can use the instructions on this page to implement the NYUHome spam filter.
- If, on the other hand, you do not already have filters implemented, you should set up your spam filtering preferences through the NYUHome Preferences panel instead. See the NYUHome/ Messenger Express instructions for details. Do not use both methods.
To create or adjust a spam filter in the Outlook email client:
- Open Outlook.
- From the Tools menu, select the Rules Wizard option.
- The Rules Wizard window will open. Under the option Apply changes to this folder, you should see your Inbox listed.
- Click the New button.
- Select the option for Start from a blank rule. Make sure the Check messages when they arrive option is highlighted. Click the Next button.
- Under Which condition(s) do you want to check?, put a checkmark in the box next to with specific words in the message header. Under Rule description, click on the underlined portion that says specific words to edit the selection.
The Search Text window will open. Here is where you define the spam filtering message header and set the level of spam filtering that you desire.
There are three levels from which to choose:
- Light Only mail that is very likely to be spam is filtered. Some spam will still arrive in your Inbox. There will be few false positives*.
- Medium More spam filtered than the Light setting; more false positives.
- Strict Eliminates virtually all spam from your Inbox. Most likely to produce false positives.
*A false positive is desired mail that may be inadvertently filtered into your Spam folder because it may contain elements that are characteristic of spam (lots of capital letters or exclamation points, or phrases like "click here").
To choose one of the above options, you must type in the corresponding information exactly as below into the blank field under Specify a word or phrase to search for in the message header:
To choose the Light setting, type 5 capital X's: XXXXX To choose the Medium setting, type 4 capital X's: XXXX To choose the Strict setting, type 3 capital X's: XXX - Click the Add button, then the OK button, and then Next button to advance to the next screen.
- Under What do you want to do with the message?, put a checkmark in the box next to move it to the specified folder. Under Rule description, click the underlined portion that says specified to edit the selection.
- A window will pop up asking you to select a folder from your Personal Folders or create a new folder. Click on the New button to create a new folder. Create a folder called "Spam" or a name of your choice. This will be the folder to which mail considered spam will be delivered. Click OK to save your new folder. Click the Next button. The Add any exceptions screen will allow you to add other settings to your filter. We recommend that you do not add any other settings and instead click the Next button.
- Name your new filter rule (by default, the filter itself is listed as the name). Make sure there is a checkmark in the box next to Turn on this rule. Click the Finish button to put your changes into effect. Click the OK button to return to your mailbox.
Page last reviewed: August 19, 2008