Email filtering not the same on windows and Mac

Question

Email filtering not the same on windows and Mac

DeWeaver, Louis (MMA) 0

Help me to understand why Microsoft would make the Junk mail filtering different on the Windows application vs the one on a Mac. There are no levels of filtering option on the Mac and users are unable to choose a level of junk email protection. This option is also missing from the Online Outlook application.

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Answer 1

Dear @DeWeaver, Louis (MMA),

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Thank you for reaching out regarding junk email filtering differences between Outlook on Windows and Mac.

In my perspective view, this behavior is by design. The classic Outlook for Windows desktop app included client-side filtering options (Low, High, Safe Lists Only) primarily for POP/IMAP accounts. However, the new Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, and Outlook on the Web share a unified architecture where junk email filtering is handled server-side through Exchange Online Protection (EOP) or your mail provider. This ensures consistent and secure filtering across platforms.

So, this means:

New Outlook for Mac does not offer adjustable filtering levels in the UI.
Junk mail is still filtered automatically by EOP or your mail server.
You can manage Safe Senders, Blocked Senders, and Safe Recipients via settings of Junk Email in New Outlook for Mac, New Outlook for Windows or Outlook Web.
For stronger control, administrators can configure junk mail policies in Microsoft 365 Security & Compliance Center or Exchange Admin Center (recommended).

Here are some articles that may give you more insights of this change:

Default email protections for cloud mailboxes (EOP feature)
Manage mail flow rules in Exchange Online (recommended)
Anti-spam protection in cloud organizations
Preset security policies in cloud organizations

I hope this information can help you to clarify it and please feel free to update to me in comment section.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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TiNo-T 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-15T07:28:51.41+00:00

Dear @DeWeaver, Louis (MMA),

It’s been a while, so I just wanted to check in and see how things are progressing with this issue.

Have you had a chance to review the responses provided?

Any updates you can share would be greatly appreciated.
TiNo-T 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-17T02:26:54.0333333+00:00

Dear @DeWeaver, Louis (MMA),

I’m following up to check whether you’ve had an opportunity to review the response provided.

And if you found my answer was partially helpful in any way, I kindly invite you to mark it as the Accepted Answer or leave an upvote. Once marked, it will automatically be pinned to the top. Since many other users also search for information in this community, your valuable contribution will help them easily find the right channel and useful insights more quickly.

Thank you very much, and I wish you a great day.

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Email filtering not the same on windows and Mac

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