Find and use the unsubscribe link in the email itself

Most marketing emails and newsletters include an unsubscribe link at the bottom. In Outlook, open the email you want to stop receiving, scroll to the very bottom, and look for text that says "Unsubscribe," "Manage preferences," or "Stop receiving these emails." Click that link — it usually takes you to a website where you confirm you want to stop.

This is the fastest way because the sender has already set it up. You do not need to do anything in Outlook itself. The link removes you from that sender's mailing list, so future emails from them should stop arriving.

If you cannot find an unsubscribe link, the sender may not have included one. In that case, move to the methods below.

Key Takeaways

  • Most emails have an unsubscribe link at the bottom that removes you from the sender's list directly.
  • You can create an Outlook rule to automatically move emails from a sender to your Deleted Items or a specific folder.
  • Marking an email as junk or spam trains Outlook to filter that sender's future messages, but does not contact the sender.
  • Blocking a sender in Outlook stops all emails from that address from reaching your inbox, though they still arrive in your Junk folder.
  • If an email looks like a phishing scam or fake unsubscribe, report it as phishing instead of clicking the link.

Block a sender so their emails go to Junk

If there is no unsubscribe link or you do not trust it, you can block the sender in Outlook. Right-click the email from that sender and select "Junk" or "Block." In Outlook on the web, click the three dots at the top of the email and choose "Block sender." In the Outlook desktop app, go to the Home tab, click "Junk," and select "Block Sender."

Blocking sends all future emails from that address to your Junk folder instead of your inbox. The emails still arrive on Outlook's servers, so they count against your mailbox storage, but you will not see them. This does not contact the sender to remove you from their list — it only hides their messages from you.

Create a rule to sort emails automatically

A rule lets you automatically move emails from a specific sender into a folder you choose. In Outlook on the web, open an email from that sender, click the three dots, and select "Create rule." Choose the folder where you want these emails to go — many people use a folder called "Newsletters" or send them straight to Deleted Items.

In the Outlook desktop app, right-click an email from the sender, select "Rules," then "Create Rule." Set the condition to match the sender's address and choose an action like "Move to folder" or "Delete." You can also set rules to mark emails as read automatically so they do not clutter your inbox.

Rules are useful when you want to keep the emails but out of sight, or when you want to review them later without them interrupting your day.

Mark emails as junk to train Outlook's filter

When you mark an email as junk or spam, Outlook learns that you do not want messages from that sender. Select the email, click "Junk" in the Home tab (desktop app) or the three dots menu (web), and choose "Junk" or "Report as junk." Outlook will start filtering similar messages automatically.

This method does not unsubscribe you — the sender still has your address and may keep sending. However, Outlook's filter improves over time as you mark more emails as junk, so fewer unwanted messages reach your inbox. If you mark emails as junk consistently, Outlook may eventually catch them before you see them.

Spot fake unsubscribe links and report phishing

Some scammers send fake emails with unsubscribe links that actually confirm your email address is real or install malware. If an email looks suspicious — poor spelling, urgent threats, requests for passwords, or a sender address that does not match the company name — do not click the unsubscribe link.

Instead, report it as phishing. In Outlook on the web, click the three dots and select "Report phishing." In the desktop app, click "Junk" and choose "Report as phishing." This tells Microsoft about the scam and helps protect other users. Then delete the email or move it to Junk.

Unsubscribe from multiple emails at once using search

If you receive many emails from the same sender and want to clean them up, use Outlook's search to find them all. Type the sender's email address or company name in the search box at the top of Outlook. Select all the results, then click "Delete" or drag them to a folder.

You can also use search to find emails with certain words in the subject line — for example, search for "newsletter" or "promotion" to find groups of similar emails. This does not stop future emails, but it clears your inbox of old ones quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does blocking a sender unsubscribe me from their mailing list?

No. Blocking only hides their emails from your inbox by sending them to Junk. The sender still has your address and can keep sending. To actually remove yourself from their list, use the unsubscribe link in the email if one exists.

What if I accidentally click an unsubscribe link I think was fake?

One click usually does not harm you. If you are worried, change your password and monitor your account for suspicious activity. Do not enter any personal information on the page that opens. If the email asked you to confirm a password or payment method, contact your bank or email provider right away.

Can I unsubscribe from all emails from a company at once?

Not directly in Outlook. You must unsubscribe through each email's unsubscribe link, or create a rule to move all emails from that sender to a folder. If the company sends multiple newsletters from different addresses, you may need to unsubscribe from each one separately.

Will marking an email as junk stop it from coming back?

Marking as junk trains Outlook's filter, but does not contact the sender. Future emails may still arrive, though Outlook will catch more of them over time. For may provide removal, use the unsubscribe link in the email if available.

How do I know if an unsubscribe link is real?

Hover over the link without clicking — your email client will show you the web address it points to. If it matches the company's official website, it is likely real. If it goes to a strange domain or has spelling errors, it is probably fake. When in doubt, block the sender instead.