Inbox Maintenance - Keeping Unwanted Emails Out

Some basic information on the different options you have at your disposal to keep your inbox clean

Prerequisites: Must have an email account

Difficulty Level: Member • Nerd • Platypus

Estimated Time: < 5 minutes

Expected Outcome: Your inbox will be less cluttered and you’ll be able to get the best performance out of your email account

Tools Required: No physical tools

Screen Shot 2020-03-27 at 5.00.45 PM

Steps to Perform 

There are different options you have at your disposal to help organize your inbox. The main 3 options that work the best are 1. deleting emails, 2. unsubscribing from emails, and 3. reporting spam. These all are applicable at different levels of how you would like to keep your inbox clear. 

 

1. Deleting an Email 

Deleting an email is always the first step. To do this you will simply need to select the email you would like to delete and move it to the trash folder and the domain (@gmail.com, @aol.com, @iCloud.com, etc.) will automatically delete it after a few days. They do this just in case you accidentally delete an email you did not intend to. 

2. Unsubscribing from a Sender

This option is more for when a company repeatedly is sending emails to your inbox. This may be a result of you giving your email address as a username for some websites. For any reputable source they will have an “unsubscribe” link that you can click at the bottom of any of their emails. To unsubscribe simply follow the link and the instructions on-screen. Generally speaking, most companies make it easy for you to unsubscribe. 

3. Reporting for Spam

Spam is when a non-reputable source continues to send you unsolicited emails even if you have unsubscribed from their mailing list. Think of a telemarketer that won't stop calling, but with emails. Reporting for Spam will not only block the sender’s domain entirely, but it will also report them to your domain’s servers, marking those types of emails as potential spam for others with similar demographics. Please note that spam is the last line of defense and the last step you should take, as reporting for spam will have a negative impact on the legitimate senders that provide a working unsubscribe option.