How To See Blocked Emails On Outlook

Outlook’s “Junk Email” folder stores blocked messages, accessible from the folder pane on the left. If you are wondering how to see blocked emails on outlook, the process is straightforward and takes only a few clicks. Many users miss important emails because they don’t check this folder regularly.

Blocked emails are not deleted permanently. They are moved to a special folder where you can review them. This article will show you exactly how to find and manage these messages across different versions of Outlook.

To see blocked emails, you need to locate the Junk Email folder. This folder is usually listed under your main mailbox folders. The exact steps vary slightly depending on whether you use Outlook desktop, web, or mobile.

Locating The Junk Email Folder In Outlook Desktop

Open Outlook on your computer. Look at the folder pane on the left side of the screen. You will see folders like Inbox, Sent Items, and Deleted Items. Scroll down until you find a folder named Junk Email.

Click on the Junk Email folder in the folder pane.
All emails that Outlook has blocked will appear in the main window.
You can click on any email to read it.
If the email is not junk, right-click it and select Junk > Not Junk.

That is the basic method. But sometimes the folder is hidden or collapsed. If you cannot see it, look for a small arrow or triangle next to your mailbox name. Click it to expand all folders.

Finding Blocked Emails In Outlook On The Web

Outlook on the web (Outlook.com or Office 365) works similarly. Log in to your account through a browser. The Junk Email folder is usually listed on the left sidebar under your main folders.

Sign in to outlook.com or your work email portal.
In the left navigation pane, locate the Junk Email folder.
Click on it to view all blocked messages.
Use the search bar at the top if you are looking for a specific email.

Sometimes the folder is labeled as Spam instead of Junk Email. This depends on your account settings. Both names refer to the same location.

Accessing Blocked Emails In Outlook Mobile App

The Outlook mobile app for iOS and Android also stores blocked emails. Open the app on your phone. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner.

Tap on the menu icon to open the folder list.
Scroll down until you see Junk Email or Spam.
Tap on it to view blocked messages.
Tap any email to open and read it.
To unblock, tap the three dots menu and select Move to Inbox.

The mobile app does not always show the Junk folder by default. If you cannot find it, try refreshing the folder list by pulling down from the top of the screen.

Why Emails Get Blocked In Outlook

Outlook uses a built-in filter to detect spam and phishing emails. It also blocks emails from senders you have manually added to your Blocked Senders list. Additionally, your organization’s email policies may automatically block certain messages.

Common reasons for blocking include:

The sender’s email address is on your blocked list.
The email contains suspicious links or attachments.
The sender’s domain is flagged as spam.
Your email administrator has set rules to block certain senders.

Understanding why an email was blocked helps you decide whether to unblock it or leave it in the Junk folder.

How To Unblock An Email In Outlook

Once you have found a blocked email, you can easily unblock it. This moves the email back to your Inbox and adds the sender to your Safe Senders list.

Open the Junk Email folder.
Select the email you want to unblock.
Right-click the email (or tap the three dots on mobile).
Choose Junk > Not Junk from the menu.
Confirm the action if prompted.

Outlook will move the email to your Inbox. Future emails from that sender will no longer be blocked. You can also drag the email from the Junk folder directly to your Inbox.

Checking Your Blocked Senders List

Sometimes you want to see who you have manually blocked. Outlook keeps a list of blocked senders that you can edit. This list is different from the Junk Email folder.

To view your blocked senders list in Outlook desktop:

Go to the Home tab at the top.
Click on Junk in the Delete group.
Select Junk E-mail Options.
Click on the Blocked Senders tab.
You will see all email addresses and domains you have blocked.

You can remove any sender from this list to stop blocking their emails. You can also add new senders here.

In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Junk email. Under Blocked senders and domains, you can see and manage your list.

What If The Junk Email Folder Is Empty?

If your Junk Email folder is empty, it does not mean no emails are being blocked. Outlook may be automatically deleting blocked emails after a certain period. By default, Outlook deletes messages in the Junk folder after 30 days.

Check your retention settings:

In Outlook desktop, go to Junk E-mail Options > Options tab.
Look for settings like “Permanently delete suspected junk email.”
If this option is checked, blocked emails are deleted immediately.

To avoid losing important emails, uncheck that option. Then blocked emails will stay in the Junk folder until you manually delete them.

Using Search To Find Blocked Emails

If you have many emails in your Junk folder, searching can help. Use the search bar at the top of Outlook. Type a keyword from the email you are looking for.

Make sure you are inside the Junk Email folder when you search. Otherwise, Outlook will search all folders. You can also use search filters like “from:example.com” to find emails from a specific domain.

How To Prevent Important Emails From Being Blocked

To stop Outlook from blocking emails you want to receive, add the sender to your Safe Senders list. This tells Outlook to always deliver their emails to your Inbox.

Open an email from the sender in your Inbox or Junk folder.
Right-click the email.
Select Junk > Never Block Sender.
Or go to Junk E-mail Options > Safe Senders and add the email address manually.

You can also add entire domains to the safe list. For example, add “@company.com” to allow all emails from that company.

Common Issues When Trying To See Blocked Emails

Some users cannot find the Junk Email folder at all. This usually happens in Outlook desktop when the folder is hidden. To show it:

Click on the View tab.
Select Folder Pane.
Make sure Normal is selected, not Minimized or Off.

Another issue is that the Junk folder appears but is empty even though you know emails are being blocked. This could be due to server-side filtering. Check with your email administrator if you use a work or school account.

On Outlook.com, sometimes the Junk folder is labeled as “Spam” in some languages. Change your language settings to see the correct label.

Using Rules To Manage Blocked Emails

Outlook rules can help you automatically move blocked emails to a different folder. This is useful if you want to review them separately from the Junk folder.

Go to the Home tab and click Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts.
Click New Rule.
Select “Apply rule on messages I receive.”
Choose conditions like “from people or public group.”
Select action “move it to specified folder.”
Choose a custom folder you create.

This does not replace the Junk filter but gives you more control over where blocked emails go.

How To See Blocked Emails In Outlook For Mac

Outlook for Mac has a similar layout. Open the app and look in the left sidebar. You should see a folder called Junk. Click on it to view blocked messages.

Open Outlook for Mac.
In the folder list, click on Junk.
All blocked emails appear in the main view.
To unblock, right-click the email and select Mark as Not Junk.

If you cannot find the Junk folder, go to the View menu and select Folder List. This shows all folders including hidden ones.

How To See Blocked Emails In Outlook 2016 And 2019

Older versions of Outlook like 2016 and 2019 work the same way as the desktop version. The Junk Email folder is in the folder pane. If you have multiple email accounts, each account has its own Junk folder.

Make sure you are looking at the correct account. Click on the account name in the folder pane to expand its folders. Then find the Junk Email folder under that account.

What Happens To Blocked Emails Over Time

Outlook automatically cleans up the Junk Email folder. By default, messages older than 30 days are deleted. You can change this setting if you want to keep blocked emails longer.

To change the auto-delete setting in Outlook on the web:

Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings.
Select Mail > Junk email.
Under “Empty junk email folder,” choose a different time period.
You can select Never if you want to manually delete them.

In Outlook desktop, this setting is under Junk E-mail Options > Options tab. Look for “Permanently delete suspected junk email after [X] days.”

How To Recover Deleted Blocked Emails

If a blocked email was automatically deleted, you might still recover it from the Deleted Items folder. Check there first. If it is not there, it may be permanently gone.

Some email providers keep a backup for a short time. Contact your IT support if you use a work email. For personal accounts, check the Recoverable Items folder in Outlook on the web.

Go to the Deleted Items folder.
Click on Recover items recently removed from this folder.
Select the emails you want and click Recover.

This only works for emails deleted within the last 30 days.

Using Third-Party Tools To Manage Blocked Emails

Some users prefer to use third-party tools to filter and manage blocked emails. These tools can integrate with Outlook and provide more advanced features. However, be cautious about security and privacy when using third-party software.

Always download tools from official sources. Check reviews and permissions before installing. Microsoft does not endorse third-party tools for managing blocked emails.

Tips For Keeping Your Inbox Clean

Regularly checking your Junk Email folder helps you avoid missing important messages. Set a reminder to review it once a week. Unblock any legitimate senders and delete obvious spam.

Mark emails as Not Junk if they are safe.
Add trusted senders to your Safe Senders list.
Empty the Junk folder periodically to save space.
Use rules to automatically move newsletters to a separate folder.

This keeps your Inbox organized and reduces the chance of losing important emails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Can’t I Find The Junk Email Folder In Outlook?

The folder might be collapsed or hidden. Click the arrow next to your mailbox name to expand all folders. If it is still missing, check your View settings to ensure the folder pane is set to Normal.

How Do I Stop Outlook From Blocking Emails From A Specific Sender?

Open an email from that sender in your Junk folder. Right-click it and select Junk > Never Block Sender. Alternatively, add the sender to your Safe Senders list in Junk E-mail Options.

Does Outlook Automatically Delete Blocked Emails?

Yes, by default Outlook deletes emails in the Junk folder after 30 days. You can change this setting to keep them longer or disable auto-delete entirely.

Can I See Blocked Emails On Outlook Without Opening The Junk Folder?

No, you must open the Junk Email folder to view blocked messages. However, you can use search within that folder to find specific emails quickly.

What Is The Difference Between Junk Email And Blocked Senders?

Junk Email is a folder where all suspected spam goes. Blocked Senders is a list of email addresses or domains you have manually blocked. Emails from blocked senders also go to the Junk folder.

Now you know exactly how to see blocked emails on outlook. Check your Junk folder regularly to stay on top of your messages. If you follow the steps in this guide, you will never miss an important email again.