Blocked sender still appears in junk

Question

Level 1

12 points

Blocked sender still appears in junk

Issue:

MacOS Mail settings direct blocked senders to the trash, but those emails still appear in junk. Is there a way to get this setting to work properly?

Context:

This is a repost of an issue dating back at least last year. Most replies to earlier posts were unhelpful, and none I saw provided a working solution. Saying that you also experience this, but it's not a problem for you, is NOT HELPFUL. Repeating Apple 101 instructions on how to set up junk and blocked mail filtering is not helpful.

Helpful responses will either 1) detail a way to get iCloud services to automatically trash or delete emails that it recognizes as coming from a blocked sender, or 2) confirm that this feature is broken and needs a fix from Apple.

Details:

MacOS Ventura, on an Apple-silicon device:

1) Junk Mail / Blocked checked boxes: "Enable filtering", "Move it to trash". Despite this, all emails from blocked senders appear in junk folder.

2) These senders are recognized as blocked (blocked-sender icon is visible). They are not previous recipients, and are not in my Contacts.

3) Junk Mail Behaviors checked boxes: "Enable junk mail filtering", "Move it to the Junk mailbox", "Exempt" (all boxes), "Trust junk mail headers"

Posted on Aug 24, 2023 5:40 AM

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Answer 1

MattBeef

Level 1

140 points

Sep 14, 2023 7:22 AM in response to Paul2121

Paul2121

Confirmed - this feature does not function.

I've posted here (more than once) on this topic.* I'm still waiting on Apple to fix it. I checked in today just to see if there has been any progress. Nope.

Good luck! I really hope you can get Apple going on this one.

Matt

*I also get responses as you have described. Sometimes they are hilarious! If you want some entertainment, look up some of my previous posts and read the responses. There are some really, really good (and funny) people on here; some others, as well.

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Answer 2

MKRK

Level 1

9 points

Dec 13, 2023 6:25 PM in response to Paul2121

I had the same problem. To immediately trash blocked senders or any other emails for that matter do the following:

Mail settings
Add a new rule
Give the rule a description
Paste the blocked email address in the field to the right of From/Contains
In the first field under “Perform the following actions:” click the up/down arrows and select “Delete Message.”
Click Ok, and you're done.

You can add additional blocked email addresses to this same rule as opposed to adding a new rule for each email address you want to immediately trash.

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Answer 3

MattBeef

Level 1

140 points

Dec 13, 2023 6:47 PM in response to MKRK

MKRK,

Thank you for the suggestion.

Yes - that works. For one. Or two. OK - 5? 10? Regardless, your procedure is still a band-aid; a work-around.

But, it's not really a solution. Further, I have between 5,000 - 10,000 different blocked senders. I get at least 25-50 new ones per day. I can't do your procedure on 10,000 blocked senders; or even 50 per day.

Bottom Line: your workaround still does not address the issue. Apple needs to fix this problem.

Thanks anyway,

Matt

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Answer 4

EJ.mac

Level 1

10 points

Feb 7, 2024 9:45 AM in response to Paul2121

I have the same problem with trying use Apple's feature to send emails from blocked senders to Trash.

It does not work.

I think the problem is worse.

A few days ago, I took the time to add 60 overnight junk mail senders to the blocked list.

I also tried to use Mail's "Unsubscribe from email list".

Last night I got 380 junk emails, 240 the night before, 120 the night before that.

I'm not sure which action caused this but my junk mail has gone up by 600% and is increasing daily.

Does Apple do something to respond to blocked senders,

where Spam generators retaliate and focus more junk mail towards my account?

49% of email traffic worldwide is spam, Apple needs a solution to protect users.

Their unified block sender list for voice calls, texts and emails isn't working

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Answer 5

Owl-53

Level 10

100,801 points

Aug 24, 2023 7:30 AM in response to Paul2121

The wording Apple has used " Move it to trash " in the Blocked Sender Filters is misleading at best.

Though is says one thing it does another - sadly.

Yes it does move the Blocker Sender to Junk and it remains there for a period of time

Refer to links below and Yes, I have participated in each

There were the easiest to find and for no other reason

Why won't blocked emails go to bin - Apple Community

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254694722?answerId=258765553022#258765553022

Blocked email don't go to bin. - Apple Community

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Answer 6

Paul2121 Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 24, 2023 8:34 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks, P. The consensus seems to be that this feature doesn't function as advertised. I'll file a feedback with Apple.

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Answer 7

Barney-15E

Level 10

121,460 points

Aug 24, 2023 6:50 AM in response to Paul2121

It sounds like the junk filter actions happen before the blocked sender actions and once the message is moved, it isn’t processed by the Blocked sender filter. I don’t see any way to change the precedence.

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Answer 8

Dec 21, 2023 4:06 AM in response to Paul2121

Hi. Sorry, but got to start this way; I also experience this. It is bleeding annoying. I have tried all sorts of permutations within the settings to no avail. Apple, take note.

In the meantime I have just de-selected "Enable Junk Mail Filtering" but left "Enable Blocked Mail Filtering" on. I have also composed my own Junk Mail Rule.

This is all untested so far so cannot guarantee it to work.

Good luck.

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Answer 9

Owl-53

Level 10

100,801 points

Aug 24, 2023 8:58 AM in response to Paul2121

Good idea and Kudos for that.

Perhaps of enough users file a complaint - who know if Apple may or may not adjust the wording in the successor version to Ventura macOS Sonoma Preview - Apple (CA) macOS 14

I do know the same wording is still used in macOS 13

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Answer 10

EJ.mac

Level 1

10 points

Feb 7, 2024 9:35 AM in response to Paul2121

Replied moved

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Answer 11

Paul2121 Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 21, 2023 9:31 AM in response to MKRK

Hi,

I've tried this, but not with individual email addresses - there are so many different permutations of similar junk-sender addresses, that this would become a huge job. Even blocking junk messages individually is a job I often don't have time for (It's quite a pain that Apple doesn't allow group blocking of multiple senders).

I used rules by finding common repeating words or phrases in junk addresses, subject lines, or text bodies, and creating a rule to put matching messages in the trash. It is, at best, marginally effective. The majority of messages that match the junk rules, still appear in my inbox or junk folder.

"Muting" junk messages also does not reduce the number of daily junk mail.

So, huge fail for Apple on this implementation. Needs fixing.

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Answer 12

Feb 23, 2024 2:21 AM in response to EJ.mac

Me too. Most junk comes in on my business account. My email accounts are Gmail based. I'm going to try pasting all of my blocked senders into gmail online and see if I can stop them from coming into my computer or phone at all.

Apple really needs to fix this very annoying and time consuming problem!!!!

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Answer 13

Paul2121 Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 24, 2023 8:37 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thanks, Barney... that seems a possible explanation. From a common sense perspective, junk filtering and blocked filtering should not conflict. Seems like an issue that needs a fix from Apple.

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Answer 14

Paul2121 Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 24, 2023 9:00 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks - In addition to fixing or rewording this feature, I suggested what makes the most sense to me: including an option making a rule to handle blocked senders.

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Blocked sender still appears in junk

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