How to install and use the Outlook for Microsoft 365 add-in for reporting messages as Phishing, Junk or Not Junk with the Report Message add-in. The online version of Outlook (Outlook.com) has the “Report” button built in, Outlook for Microsoft 365 for Desktop on Windows 10 and Windows 11 client does not. Yes I know Microsoft wants you to use the browser version but I like the “Premium Office Apps” that come with my Microsoft 365 subscription, including the full Outlook client. But, I don’t have a easy way to report Phishing or Junk Mail. Microsoft says they block all Phishing so that sounds good except I’m currently staring at an email stating someone has logged into my Microsoft Account, the headers show it was sent from a non existent EDU domain and all links on the page lead back to a personal Hotmail account. So what I can I do about that? Add the Add-in to Block and report it as Phishing!
What Can the Report Message Add-in do?
- Junk – Report, block and delete Junk mail messages
- Phishing – Report, block and delete Phishing messages
- Not Junk – Report and unblock messages that are incorrectly flagged as Junk
- All the above – Helps Microsoft improve their spam filters for all future emails and all users
How to add the Report Message Add-in to the Outlook Ribbon
- Select a Microsoft 365 or Exchange account in Outlook – click on the Account name or Inbox in the Folder Pane
- Click the Get Add-Ins button in the ribbon – see screenshots below for Classic or Simplified ribbon.
- Search for “Report Message” for the full Phishing + Junk mail add-in, search for “Message” for the Phishing only add-in.
- Click Add to install the add-in
How to use the Report Message Add-in – see screenshots below for visual guidance
- Highlight a Junk or Phishing email and click the Report Message button on the ribbon
- Chose Junk, Phishing or Not Junk
- Choosing Junk or Phishing Blocks the sender from sending you any future emails
- Choosing Junk or Phishing automatically deletes the message from your Inbox (this may take a moment, let it happen – you can continue working and switch to other views)
- Choosing Not Junk unblocks future messages from the sender and notifies Microsoft the sender is not Spam
- Reporting a message notifies Microsoft – helping them identify and block the message for others and, improve Spam filtering of future messages for everyone
- That’s it for the win-win-win! More from Microsoft – Use the Report Message add-in
Report Message details from Microsoft Add-In description:
The Report Message add-in works with Outlook 2016 to allow you to report suspicious messages as well as manage how your Office 365 email account treats these messages.
Messages that your Office 365 email account marks as junk or malicious are automatically moved to your Junk or quarantine Email folder. However, spammers and phishing attempts are continually evolving. If you receive a junk email in your inbox, you can use the Report Message add-in to send the message to your security administrator or Microsoft (depending on how your enterprise has set up the user submission policy) to help us improve our filters. If you find an email in your inbox that is phish, you can use the Report Message add-in to mark it as Phish, move the message to the deleted folder, and send the message to your security administrator or Microsoft (depending on how on how your enterprise has set up the user submission policy) to help us improve our filters. If you find an email in your Junk Email folder that’s not junk, you can use the Report Message add-in to mark it as a legitimate email, move the message to your Inbox, and send the message to your security administrator or Microsoft (depending on how on how your enterprise has set up the user submission policy) to help us improve our filters.
You need an active and licenses Office 365 mailbox to use this add-in.