Reducing email spam is an ongoing process. There is no magic tool that detects or eliminates all unwanted email, but spam can be reduced to manageable levels if you are diligent. There are a few simple tips that may help you reduce unwanted or suspect emails.

Start by unsubscribing from unwanted legitimate newsletters and advertisements. Most legitimate emails will offer an unsubscribe link or button that allows you to opt out of unwanted messages. Be careful with all links in suspicious emails. Even an unsubscribe link can signal spammers that a real person is connected with a particular email address. Some scripts and viruses can be loaded on your system with a simple click on an unknown link. Unsubscribing from legitimate subscriptions can greatly reduce unwanted emails.

Most email providers offer built-in spam filters. Spam filters can automatically detect suspected spam and route it to a spam folder for review. Spam filters can improve with training. Marking undetected spam as suspicious helps boost filter detection success rates. Vigilant training can reduce unwanted messages from reaching your inbox.

Blacklist known spam senders by email address or reject entire domains using email provider settings. These settings often override your spam filter and block emails from specific senders or entire domains. Whitelist known senders or domains to allow them to pass through the filter. Rules can be established in your spam filter, email provider settings, or email software that allows sorting by keywords and subject lines. Creating rules and maintaining blacklists and whitelists can substantially reduce email spam.

Limit where you share your email online. Consider using throw-away email addresses (from providers like mailinator.com) in situations where you are suspicious about how your email address may be used. Read privacy policies to be aware of how your email address will be used or shared.

Software like MailWasher Pro and the free Spamihilator application can be used as a gateway to protect yourself from unwanted emails. These programs check emails on the mail server and allow you to delete unwanted emails before downloading them into your inbox.

If these tips aren’t enough, you may need to consider a third-party spam filter or upgrade your email service. It is almost impossible to eliminate all spam, but these tips should help reduce unwanted messages to a tolerable level.