Microsoft Defender

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is an advanced email filtering service that helps protect against email threats such as phishing, business email compromise and malware. The software works in the background and has minimal impact on end users.

Because users, however, might occasionally receive junk or spam mail – or have legitimate messages automatically marked as junk – Microsoft Defender also gives you the ability in Microsoft Outlook to classify emails as:

  • Junk
  • Phishing
  • Not Junk

As you classify messages, Microsoft's machine-learning filtering capabilities uses your interaction to improve the accuracy of inbound email.

How to Use the Report Message Function

  1. In Outlook on your desktop, select the email that you would like to identify as Junk, Phishing or Not Junk, as shown below.

     
    Selecting an email

     

  2. Select the Report Message button toward the top right side of your toolbar.

     
    Select Report Message



     

  3. Select the option to mark the email as Junk, Phishing or Not Junk. 
  • Selecting the email as Junk or Phishing will direct the Report Message button to automatically move the email from your inbox to the Junk Email folder. It will also send the email to Microsoft Defender for our administrators to investigate.
  • Selecting the email as Not Junk will direct the Report Message button to automatically move the email from your Junk Email folder to the inbox. This will also submit the email to Microsoft Defender for our administrators to investigate. 

 

Using the Report Message Button in Outlook on the Web

 

  1. In Outlook on the web, select the email that you would like to mark as junk or phishing.

     
    Select Outlook on the Web email

     

  2. At the top of the toolbar, select Report and then select Report phishing or Report junk.

     
    Select Report phishing and junk



     

  • Identifying the email as junk or phishing will allow Report to automatically move the email from your inbox to the Junk Email folder. The email will also be submitted to Defender for our administrators to investigate.

     
  • Note: Outlook on the web does not have the ability to mark emails as Not Junk. If you suspect that an email has been incorrectly sent to the Junk Email folder, verify that the sender is not flagged by an inbox rule that would cause the email to be directed to the Junk Email folder. 

     
  • See how to verify your inbox rules for flagged senders. 

Related Resources

Need Help?

For assistance, please contact your agency's IT service desk.