Mark as spam in Gmail

In Gmail, open the email you want to mark as spam. Click the trash icon (it looks like a bin) in the toolbar at the top of the message. Gmail will ask if you want to report it as spam — click Report spam. The email moves to your Spam folder, and Gmail learns from the action to filter similar messages in the future.

If you see the spam icon instead of a trash icon, click it directly. Either way, Gmail removes the message from your inbox when ready. You can also select multiple emails at once by clicking the checkbox next to each one, then clicking the spam icon to report them all together.

Gmail keeps spam in your Spam folder for 30 days before deleting it permanently. If you mark something as spam by mistake, you have that window to find it and move it back to your inbox by clicking Not spam.

Mark as spam in Outlook (web and desktop)

In Outlook on the web, open the email and click the three dots (more actions) at the top right. Select Junk, then choose Junk E-mail or Phishing Scam depending on what the email is. Outlook moves it to your Junk folder and adds the sender to your blocked list.

In Outlook on your computer (Windows or Mac), right-click the email in your inbox. Select Junk, then Block Sender or Junk E-mail. The email goes to your Junk folder, and Outlook will filter future messages from that sender automatically.

Outlook keeps junk email for 10 days before deleting it. If you need to recover a message, check your Junk folder within that window. You can also unblock a sender later by going to Settings and finding them in your blocked senders list.

Mark as spam in Apple Mail

In Apple Mail on Mac, select the email in your inbox. Click the Mail menu at the top, then select Junk Mail, then Mark as Junk Mail. The email moves to your Junk folder. You can also right-click the email and choose Mark as Junk Mail from the menu that appears.

On iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the email in your inbox. Tap the trash icon, then tap Mark as Junk from the options that appear. Apple Mail learns from your choices and filters similar messages going forward.

Apple Mail keeps junk messages in your Junk folder until you empty it manually. Unlike Gmail and Outlook, Apple Mail does not automatically delete junk after a set number of days, so you control when they disappear.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail uses a trash icon or spam icon to report spam, and keeps reported messages for 30 days in case you marked something by mistake.
  • Outlook on the web uses the three-dot menu; Outlook on your computer uses right-click, and both add the sender to your blocked list automatically.
  • Apple Mail on Mac uses the Mail menu; on iPhone or iPad you swipe left and tap the trash icon, then select Mark as Junk.
  • Marking spam teaches your email provider's filter to catch similar messages, so reporting is more effective than just deleting.
  • Each provider keeps junk email for a different length of time — Gmail 30 days, Outlook 10 days, Apple Mail indefinitely — so recover messages quickly if you mark something by accident.

Why marking as spam is better than deleting

When you delete an email, it goes to your trash but your email provider does not learn anything from it. When you mark it as spam, you are telling the system "this is unwanted" — and the provider uses that signal to improve its filter for you and sometimes for other users too.

Marking spam also usually blocks the sender automatically, so you will not see messages from that address again. Deleting does not block anyone. If you are getting repeated unwanted mail from the same sender, marking as spam is the faster way to stop it.

What happens after you mark something as spam

Your email provider moves the message to a spam or junk folder. Future emails from that sender may go straight to spam automatically, though this depends on the provider and how many other people have marked similar messages as spam.

The sender does not know you marked them as spam. They cannot see your action, and it does not notify them or bounce the message back. Your email address stays on their list unless you also unsubscribe from a mailing list (which is a separate action from marking as spam).

Difference between spam and unsubscribe

Spam is unsolicited email you did not sign up for, or email from a sender you no longer want to hear from. Unsubscribe is for emails you did sign up for — newsletters, promotional emails, notifications — but no longer want to receive.

If the email has an Unsubscribe link at the bottom, use that first. It removes you from the sender's mailing list. If there is no unsubscribe link, or if you have unsubscribed and still receive mail from them, then mark it as spam. Legitimate senders include unsubscribe links; scammers and spammers usually do not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mark an email as spam if I already deleted it?

Not directly — once deleted, the email is gone from your inbox. In Gmail and Outlook, check your trash or deleted items folder first; you can move it back to your inbox and then mark it as spam. In Apple Mail, check your Trash folder the same way. After you mark it as spam, you can delete it again.

What if I marked something as spam by mistake?

In Gmail, go to your Spam folder, find the email, and click Not spam. In Outlook, go to your Junk folder, select the email, and click Not junk. In Apple Mail, move the email back to your inbox manually. Do this within the time window before the provider deletes it permanently — 30 days for Gmail, 10 days for Outlook, and indefinitely for Apple Mail.

Does marking spam remove my email address from the sender's list?

No. Marking as spam tells your email provider to filter future messages, but it does not notify the sender or remove you from their mailing list. If you want off their list, look for an Unsubscribe link in the email and use that. If there is no unsubscribe link and the email is truly unwanted, mark it as spam and your provider will handle filtering it.

Will marking spam hurt the sender?

Not directly. Your action does not reach the sender or damage their account. However, if many people mark emails from the same sender as spam, email providers may start filtering that sender's messages for everyone. Legitimate businesses monitor spam complaints and adjust their sending practices to avoid this.

Can I mark an entire conversation as spam?

In Gmail, you can select multiple emails from the same sender and mark them all as spam at once by clicking the spam icon. In Outlook and Apple Mail, you mark emails individually, though blocking the sender prevents future messages from reaching your inbox. If you want to remove an entire conversation, mark the most recent message and block the sender.