Finding important emails in your junk folder is frustrating, especially when you are waiting on something time-sensitive. It happens more often than most people realise and there are usually a few straightforward reasons behind it.
Why emails end up in junk
Email filtering systems use a combination of signals to decide whether a message is spam. These include the sender's reputation, whether their domain has proper security records in place, the content of the email and whether similar messages have been marked as spam by other users.
If a supplier or contact is consistently landing in your junk folder it usually means one of these signals is triggering the filter. It does not necessarily mean anything malicious is happening.
The quickest fix: mark it as not junk
Open your junk folder, find the email and right-click it. Select Mark as not junk or Move to inbox. This tells Outlook that emails from this sender are legitimate and future messages should be delivered to your inbox.
You can also add the sender to your safe senders list. In Outlook, go to Home, then Junk, then Junk Email Options. Click the Safe Senders tab and add the email address or domain.
If the problem keeps happening
If emails from a specific sender keep going to junk even after marking them as safe, the issue may be on the sender's side. Their domain may not have SPF, DKIM or DMARC records configured correctly, which causes receiving mail servers to treat their emails with suspicion.
In this case the sender needs to fix their email security settings. Pointing them to our guide on checking SPF, DKIM and DMARC is a good starting point.
If your own emails are going to junk for your recipients
This is a different problem entirely and usually means your own domain security records need attention. If clients or contacts are telling you they cannot find your emails, this should be looked at by someone who manages your DNS and email setup. Left unaddressed it affects your ability to communicate professionally with clients.
When to get help
If your emails are consistently landing in junk for your recipients, if important emails are disappearing or if you suspect your domain's SPF, DKIM or DMARC records are misconfigured, get your IT provider involved. Recloud manages email deliverability and domain security for our clients.