Mail Ends Up in Spam iPhone: How to Fix It

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If important emails keep going to the spam folder on your iPhone, it could be due to incorrect email filters, sender reputation issues, or mail app settings. Here’s how to stop emails from being marked as spam and ensure they arrive in your inbox.

1. Mark Emails as Not Spam

If an email has landed in the spam folder by mistake, marking it as Not Junk will help prevent future emails from the same sender from being filtered as spam.

How to Mark an Email as Not Junk:
  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
  2. Go to the Junk folder.
  3. Find the email you want to recover.
  4. Swipe left on the email and tap More > Mark as Not Junk.
  5. The email will move to your inbox, and future messages from that sender should no longer be marked as spam.

2. Add the Sender to Contacts

Adding a sender to your contacts can improve email deliverability and reduce the chances of their emails being marked as spam.

How to Add a Sender to Contacts:
  1. Open the Mail app and find an email from the sender.
  2. Tap the sender’s name or email address.
  3. Tap Create New Contact or Add to Existing Contact.

3. Move Emails to the Inbox Manually

If you frequently receive emails in spam, manually moving them to your inbox signals to the Mail app that these emails are not junk.

How to Move an Email from Junk to Inbox:
  1. Open the Mail app and go to the Junk folder.
  2. Select the email you want to recover.
  3. Tap the Folder icon at the bottom.
  4. Choose Inbox to move the email.

4. Check and Adjust Mail Rules on iCloud

If you use iCloud Mail, filtering rules set up on iCloud.com could be marking emails as spam.

How to Check Mail Rules on iCloud:
  1. Go to iCloud.com and sign in.
  2. Open the Mail app.
  3. Click the Settings (gear icon) > Rules.
  4. Check if there are rules that automatically move emails to the junk folder and disable or modify them.

5. Disable Third-Party Spam Filters

If you use a third-party email service like Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo, their built-in spam filters might be affecting your email.

How to Adjust Spam Filters in Gmail (Example):
  1. Open the Gmail app or visit Gmail.com.
  2. Go to Spam and open an incorrectly filtered email.
  3. Tap Report not spam.
  4. Adjust spam settings in Gmail Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses.

Other email services like Outlook and Yahoo have similar settings for managing spam filters.

6. Reset Mail Settings

If your iPhone’s Mail settings are misconfigured, resetting them may help resolve spam filtering issues.

How to Reset Mail Settings:
  1. Go to Settings > Mail.
  2. Tap Accounts and select the affected email account.
  3. Remove the account by tapping Delete Account, then re-add it by selecting Add Account.

7. Use a Whitelist for Trusted Senders

Some email services allow you to whitelist or add trusted senders to prevent emails from being marked as spam.

How to Whitelist a Sender in Gmail (Example):
  1. Open Gmail in a browser.
  2. Click the Settings (gear icon) > See all settings.
  3. Go to Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter.
  4. Enter the sender’s email and click Create filter.
  5. Select Never send to spam and save changes.

8. Check If Your Email Provider Blocks the Sender

If a sender’s emails are always being marked as spam, their email domain may be flagged by your email provider.

How to Check Email Provider Blacklist:
  • Contact your email provider’s support team and ask if the sender’s domain is blocked.
  • Ask the sender to check their email deliverability and domain reputation.

9. Update iOS and Mail App

An outdated iOS version or Mail app may cause filtering issues.

How to Update iOS:
  1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  2. If an update is available, tap Download and Install.

How to Update the Mail App (For Third-Party Email Apps):
  1. Open the App Store.
  2. Tap your profile icon and scroll down to see available updates.
  3. Update any email-related apps.

10. Use an Alternative Email App

If the Mail app continues to filter emails incorrectly, try using a third-party email app like:

  • Gmail (for Google accounts)
  • Outlook (for Microsoft accounts)
  • Spark or Edison Mail (for multiple accounts)

These apps may provide better spam management and filtering options.

These solutions should help stop important emails from ending up in spam on your iPhone.