Windows Live Hotmail – Junk Email Filter Override

Summary:

• Windows Live Hotmail does not provide an option to turn off the the built-in Junk Email Filter
• Overriding the Hotmail Junk Email Filter can be accomplished by use of rule configured in the web interface

Background Information:

• Windows Live Hotmail provides two selectable filter options (Standard and Exclusive) for handling Junk Email and neither option has the ability to override (turn off) the Junk Mail Filter.

• Overriding the Hotmail Junk Email Filter may be advantageous for those operating under or desiring the following conditions:

1. Hotmail accounts configured to use Pop3 protocol in a desktop email client which only retrieves the contents of the Inbox from the account’s web server Inbox
2. Hotmail accounts using the web interface and preferring all email delivery to the Inbox while still retaining the ‘Safety Features’ of the Hotmail which in most cases will continue to block attachments, pictures and links until the content is approved (for viewing) by the user (i.e. Show Content, or Always show content from the sending email address)
3. Persons using the social media features of their Windows Live Profile where it’s desirable that all  ‘Friend Invitations’ are delivered to the account’s web server Inbox (instead of the Junk Mail Folder)
4. Hotmail accounts used as a mechanism to aggregate other pop3 email accounts’ incoming email to the Hotmail Inbox
5. Hotmail accounts that are configured to forward all incoming email to another Hotmail account or 3rd party provider email account (e.g. primary ISP email account or other web account provider)

Method (to Override):

1. Overriding the Hotmail Junk Email Filter requires the use of  a simple rule which can be created in the Hotmail options section. The steps to create the rule are as follows:

a. Sign-in to the Hotmail account at http://mail.live.com or http://hotmail.com

b. Access the Hotmail Options located in the upper right in the Hotmail web interface (see pic 1 below)

c. Select More Options then Rules for Sorting New Messages (pic 2)

  (pic 1)   =======>>>>>>   (pic 2)

2. Select ‘New‘ under ‘Rules for sorting new messages‘  (pic3)

(pic 3)

3. Create a new rule of the form Sender’s Address contains @  (Step 1 in pic 4) then select  Move to Inbox (Step 2)

(pic 4)

4. Save the rule prior to exiting the rules options and returning to the Inbox

Comments:

• Credit for this method is compliment of one of my oldest friends from the early beta days of MSN (circa 1995). Thanks Snork!!!!  for doing all the leg work in testing and validating the above rule.
• Credit for testing the applicability of the rule for ‘Friend Invitations’ to both Amber and Erin (Thanks Ladies!!! )
• If other rules are in place/configured to move incoming messages to another Hotmail web folder or subfolder within the account, then ensure the above rule is the first rule created in a series of rules since rules created last apparently operate first in the hierarchy of all rules.
• Overriding the Hotmail Junk Mail filter increases the risk of undesirable mail being delivered to the account Inbox thus caution is warranted when opening or clicking on links in any unsolicited email.
• Overriding the Hotmail Junk Mail filter increases the risk of undesirable mail being delivered to a local email client (e.g. Windows Live Mail or Outlook) used to retrieve Hotmail account messages when the Hotmail account is configured to use the POP3 protocol (only Inbox messages are retrieved from the Hotmail server) thus caution is warranted when opening or clicking on links in any unsolicited email
• Always ensure that a capable Antivirus/Antimalware scanner is active on your pc (e.g. Microsoft Security Essentials)

Revisions:

May 4, 2011: Original Published Date