Technology Services recognizes the importance of reducing unwanted email and ensuring the successful delivery of important email. Use these tips to help better manage your Texas A&M University email accounts. 

Gmail: Create a filter rule to keep desired email out of spam.

Filters are the closest thing Gmail has to a “safe sender” or “whitelist.” Filters can only be created or modified from the online web version of Gmail and cannot be created or edited from a mobile device. Follow the steps below from a desktop or laptop computer to set up filters within Gmail.

1. Open the Gmail website from your computer.
2. In the search box at the top, select the “Down” arrow.
3. In the “From” field, enter the sender's email address.
4. At the bottom of the search window, click “Create filter.”
5. Select “Never send it to spam.”
6. Click “Create filter.”

Gmail offers a variety of ways to manage your email inbox.

If spam or unwanted email is your primary concern, there are ways to narrow your incoming messages and ensure the email you want to see is making it to your inbox. You can prevent a certain email from ending up in your spam folder, or you can block unwanted content to ensure it is not delivered to your inbox.

Ways to filter email:

1. Add the sender as an approved contact.
2. Create a filter rule to keep desired email out of spam — most reliable method.

Ways to block unwanted email:

1. Enable Gmail categories.
2. Filter using labels.
3. Filter by sender address.
   
   

Microsoft 365 and Exchange offer email management options.

If your primary email service is Microsoft Outlook, you can also set up filters to ensure delivery of your incoming email. You must be using the web version of Microsoft 365 to access these settings.

1. Open Microsoft Outlook 365 on a web browser and click on the gear icon in the top right corner.
2. Click on "Junk email" in the left-hand menu.
3. Under the "Safe senders and domains" section, click on "Add."
4. Enter the email address you want to whitelist and click "Enter."
5. Click "Save" at the bottom of the page.

In the same “Junk Email” window, you can block senders and identify them as spam, or set up a separate filter rule to automatically delete their messages. You can also check “Trust email from my contacts,” ensuring delivery from emails in your contact list.

Additional tips for better inbox management:

1. Organize content into folders. Using folder labels allows you to match your daily activities to their messaging by topic. You can also use the filter feature in the knowledge-base article to send tasks straight to their assigned folder if you know you need more time to review the emails. 
2. Use the tools available to you in both Microsoft Outlook and Gmail. Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange using Outlook and Gmail are the Texas A&M-supplied email clients to receive email as a student or employee. Each platform has a variety of ways to manage your inbox, calendar, spam and tasks. 
3. Unsubscribe from recurring email. It is easy to become inundated with offers and newsletters from companies you engaged with for a short time. If you are not actively keeping up with a company or its products, you can unsubscribe from their mailing list. Most email newsletters have an unsubscribe link in the footer for this purpose. 
4. Figure out how companies use your data. This is a simple email traffic trick to determine if a newsletter you follow sold your data. If you sign up for a newsletter, try adding a plus sign to your email address, such as my+address@gmail.com, and you’ll quickly see how that company is using your data.
5. Develop a schedule for checking and prioritizing email. Don’t you want your unread email count to be “0”? Regularly checking for new email and beginning your work day by prioritizing inbound messages is the best way to stay organized. Set aside 15-20 minutes of your morning for email review.

If you need help setting up filters to manage your inbox or have other email questions, contact Help Desk Central by email, phone at 979-845-8300 or online.