How to Stop Junk Email in 14 Ways

Inbox Zapper

May 11, 2025

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15 min 39 sec

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Your email inbox is like an unkempt garage. At first, it seems okay, but the longer you ignore it, the worse it gets. Before you know it, it’s filled with junk, much of which you don’t even remember putting there.

The only way to regain control is to dig in and clean it up. If you use Gmail, the process is simple unless you have thousands of unwanted emails and dozens of folders to sort through.

This mess makes it difficult to find important information, and tackling the cleanup can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, AI email organizer tools like Inbox Zapper's Gmail cleanup tool can help you stop junk email and clean up Gmail faster than you ever thought possible.

Why Do Emails Go Into Junk

1. The Role of Spam Trigger Words and Phrases in Junk Email

Filters determine if your email is junk, so scan every word for spam trigger words. Emails containing many words will be blocked or sent to the junk folder. It’s best to avoid these words altogether or use them sparingly.

2. Emails With Too Many Images Go Straight to the Junk Folder

Email servers favor messages that have an equal text-to-image ratio. They don’t like emails that heavily feature images. Using more imagery than text will directly affect your email deliverability rates, so ensure your messages go straight to the junk folders.

Always include at least two lines of text for every image or graphic you put in your email. All photos should have Alt text; don’t use short URLs if you’re including hyperlinks.

3. Junk Email and Poor Text Formatting

Stick to using one font type, one font size (below 12pt), and one font color. It’s fine to avoid standard black font, but don’t use multiple colors. Doing this is as bad as using spam trigger words.

Punctuation is also key; using more than one exclamation or question mark in the subject line or body of the <h2> email is considered spam-like.

4. Use a Legitimate “From” Address to Avoid the Junk Folder

It’s not recommended to use a free or personal email address like Outlook.com/Hotmail or Gmail as your “From” address. Instead, use an email address from your organization’s domain. If you don’t want to receive many out-of-office replies, set up an email address specifically for marketing emails and send from this address every time.

It’s also best to avoid email addresses that begin with ‘info’, ‘noreply’, or ‘sales’. These are considered generic, so they will often go straight to email junk folders.

5. Bad HTML Code Could Send Emails to the Junk Folder

If your code is badly written with extra tags or was designed in Microsoft Word and then copied across, spam filters will alert you. This will affect your open rates, and it’s likely your email will be blocked.

To avoid this, you can use pre-made email templates or find an experienced designer to create a branded HTML email template with properly written code.

6. The Importance of Opt-ins and Unsubscribe Links

Don’t assume that you have permission to send an email to someone, regardless of your connection to them. For example, if someone has bought an item off your website, have a clear opt-in or opt-out choice.

If you can’t use the opt-in choice, ensure there’s a clear unsubscribe link in your email. This is a legal requirement under the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. All opt-out requests must be honored within 10 business days.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also has strict rules around control over a user’s personal data. Failure to follow GDPR can potentially result in a fine of 4% of a company’s annual turnover or €20 million.

7. Personalization Can Help Emails Avoid the Junk Folder

If you can personalize the “To:” field with the recipient’s full name, spam filters are less likely to block your email and send it straight to junk folders.

8. Sending Emails Consistently Can Help Avoid Junk Folders

It’s important to be consistent with how regularly you send an email. If you only send one email every few months, your recipients may have forgotten they signed up for marketing communications from you. This can lead them to mark your messages as spam emails and end up in junk folders.

At the same time, don’t send them too often either. If a recipient gets bombarded with emails from your company, it might feel spammy to them.

9. Using Third-Party Email Marketing Services Can Affect Deliverability

Some email servers block emails sent via third-party email marketing services (EMS) to protect against spam. This can affect the success of your email campaigns.

Use a reliable service provider such as MailChimp or Campaign Monitor. Then, be sure to use DKIM and SPF custom domain authentication. These services’ IP addresses are trusted among many email servers, making your messages more likely to get through.

10. Your Emails Could Be Blocked If You’re Blacklisted

Before your emails are delivered to your recipient’s inbox, they’re read by the receiving email server to figure out if your IP address or domain has been blacklisted. Being blacklisted means your emails have been confirmed to be a known source of spam content so will automatically be blocked.

If you’re worried that you may have been blacklisted, there are loads of free services available you can use to find out. They’ll also recommend how to get yourself removed from any blacklists.

11. More CAN-SPAM Requirements to Avoid Junk Folders

We previously mentioned the CAN-SPAM Act and included an opt-out link. But there are four more requirements you must comply with, or you could face a $16,000 fine:

Don’t use false or misleading header information.
Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
Mark the message as an advert.
Monitor what others are doing on your behalf.

How to Stop Junk Email in 14 Ways

Person Using Laptop - How to Stop Junk Email

1. Use Inbox Zapper to Remove Junk Emails Fast

With Inbox Zapper, you can clean up your Gmail inbox for good. This Gmail cleanup tool allows you to mass delete emails and unsubscribe from email lists with just one click. Inbox Zapper scans your inbox for unwanted emails and email lists and lets you get rid of them quickly. Best of all, the cleanup tool is private. None of your email data ever leaves your device. This means you don’t have to worry about privacy-infringing practices like data reselling.

Inbox Zapper was designed with privacy in mind from day one. Other tools resell your data; we just help you clean your inbox. Join 15,687 people who have used Inbox Zapper to clean 28,384,924 emails. For now, Inbox Zapper only supports Gmail, but we will also expand to other email services. Inbox Zapper is the easiest way to clean your Gmail inbox. Try Inbox Zapper's Gmail cleanup tool for free today to clean up your Gmail inbox with one click.

2. Consistently Mark Unwanted Emails as Spam

Marking unwanted emails as spam tells your email client to filter similar messages in the future. The more you use this feature, the better your email platform gets at identifying unwanted emails.

3. Unsubscribe from Unwanted Newsletters

Legitimate marketing emails often include an unsubscribe link, which you can use to stop receiving content you no longer wish to see.

4. Block Specific Senders or Domains

Most email platforms allow you to block particular email addresses or domains, preventing their messages from reaching your inbox.

5. Add Trusted Senders to Your Contacts

Including known contacts in your address book signals your email provider that their messages are safe.

6. Mark Legitimate Emails as 'Not Spam'

If a valid email lands in your spam folder, marking it as 'Not Spam' helps train your email filter to recognize similar messages as legitimate.

7. Utilize Safe Senders Lists

Platforms like Outlook offer 'Safe Senders' lists. Adding trusted email addresses ensures their messages bypass spam filters.

8. Create Email Filters

Set up rules to automatically sort incoming emails based on criteria like sender, subject, or keywords. This helps you organize and prioritize your inbox.

9. Disable Read Receipts and Automatic Processing

Turning off read and delivery receipts and automatic meeting request processing can prevent spammers from confirming active email addresses.

10. Limit Public Exposure of Your Email Address

Avoid posting your email address on public forums or websites to reduce the risk of it being harvested by spammers.

11. Use Disposable Email Addresses

Consider using temporary email addresses for one-time sign-ups or trials to prevent spam in your primary inbox.

12. Be Cautious with Unsubscribe Links

If an email seems suspicious, avoid clicking on unsubscribe links, as they might be phishing attempts. Instead, mark such emails as spam.

13. Periodically Review Your Spam Folder

Check your spam folder occasionally to ensure legitimate emails haven't been misclassified.

14. Clean Up Unused Subscriptions

Regularly assess and unsubscribe from newsletters or services you no longer use to reduce inbox clutter.

How to Identify Spam Email in Your Junk

1. Scrutinizing the Sender's Email Address

Regarding phishing emails, the sender's email address is key. Legit organizations utilize their domain names for email addresses (e.g., @company.com). Take caution if the email comes from a public domain like @gmail.com or contains misspellings (e.g., @paypall.com).

2. Analyzing the Content and Style

Next, analyze the content and style of the email. Phishing emails often contain grammatical errors, strange phrasing, or an unusual tone (e.g., "Act now" or "Your account will be suspended"). They may also differ from the organization's typical communication style.

3. Inspecting Links and Attachments

Phishing attempts often contain links and attachments that can harm your computer or steal your data. Always hover over links to see the actual URL before clicking. Be wary if the link doesn’t match the displayed text or leads to an unfamiliar site. Unexpected attachments, especially with generic names like "invoice.pdf," can also be malicious.

4. Evaluating Requests for Sensitive Information

Be skeptical of emails asking for personal details, passwords, or financial information. Legitimate companies rarely request such information via email.

5. Spotting Security Red Flags

Watch for emails that pressure you to bypass standard security procedures or threaten negative consequences for inaction. These are likely fraudulent.

You don't have to sort through junk emails alone. For a more innovative approach, check out Inbox Zapper. This Gmail cleanup tool quickly finds and eliminates unwanted emails, so you can return to the messages that matter.

How To Clean Your Email in 9 Simple Ways

1. Equipping the Potential of Inbox Zapper

If you want to delete unwanted emails in Gmail fast, try Inbox Zapper. It's one-click system is the Gmail cleanup tool that works. With one click, Inbox Zapper allows you to mass unsubscribe from emails and newsletters and mass delete emails. Inbox Zapper scans your inbox for email lists and unwanted emails. None of your email data ever leaves your device, preserving complete privacy. Inbox Zapper was designed with privacy in mind from day one.

Other tools resell your data; we just help you clean your inbox. Join 15,687 people who have used Inbox Zapper to clean 28,384,924 emails. For now, Inbox Zero only supports Gmail, but we will also expand to other email services. Inbox Zapper is the easiest way to clean your Gmail inbox. Try Inbox Zapper's Gmail cleanup tool for free today to clean up your Gmail inbox with one click.

2. Deleting Emails One by One

Removing unwanted emails from your Gmail account doesn't have to be a complex process. Some people often experience issues with deleting individual emails. If you are also a novice Gmail user, you may experience some initial hazards. Follow the simple process of deleting individual emails from Gmail.

Enter your Gmail credentials, such as your ID and password.
Now, open your Gmail inbox on your Laptop, PC, or Phone.
Now, label the emails you want to delete by putting a tick mark against the individual emails.
Go to the top of Gmail; you will now see a trash icon at the top of your Gmail.
Click on the delete or trash icon.
You have now deleted an individual email. Similarly, you can delete all the respective emails individually.

3. Deleting Emails in Bulk on Your Computer

Do you often search for how to delete thousands of emails in Gmail? Don’t worry; here is how to delete emails in Bulk.

Select the particular folder whose emails you want to delete. For example, you can select the inbox or the trash.
If you want to delete all the emails on a single page from your inbox, you will see a rectangular box at the top of Gmail.
Select that rectangular box, and you will see various open options, like All, none, read, unread, starred, and unstarred.
Select All if you want to delete all the emails of a particular page of your inbox.
Click on the trash icon.
As soon as you click on it, you will see that all the emails of that particular page of your inbox have been deleted.

4. Deleting Emails in Bulk on Your Phone

If you are using the Gmail app on your phone, you can also delete emails in bulk.

Enter the credentials like your Email ID and password, and open your Gmail application on your phone.
Now, search the folder you want to delete in your Gmail inbox.
Tap on the email to open it. Depending on the interface, you may also have to select the swipe left or swipe right option.
Now tap on the delete or trash icon. You will see that you have deleted the bulk email folder.

5. How to Delete Multiple Emails in Gmail?

Follow these steps if you are using Gmail in a web browser.

Click the checkbox following to your inbox if you look forward to deleting your emails individually.
You should select the checkbox at the top left corner to delete all the emails.
If you want to delete specific emails, you can look for various search operators in the search bar.
Select these multiple emails that you are looking forward to deleting.
Go to the toolbar and click the trash icon. You have learned how to delete multiple emails in Gmail.

6. Deleting Multiple Emails in Gmail Mobile App

To reveal the checkbox, you should swipe right on your email.

Tap the email to select it.
You will see a circle at the top left; select that particular circle.
Now, you will see that all the emails have been selected as soon as you choose the circle.
To delete selected emails, tap the trash icon.

7. Permanently Delete Emails

Do you want to delete emails from your inbox permanently? Follow the steps below.

First, delete those emails you want to remove from your inbox permanently.
Select the checkbox against that email and click the delete or trash can icon to delete these emails.
Now, you will find your deleted emails in the Trash folder.
Now, explore the trash folder and look for the deleted email.
Go ahead and delete that email from the Trash folder.
Congratulations, you have permanently deleted all emails from your Gmail account.

8. Emptying Trash and Spam Folder

Steps for Emptying Trash

You will view more options in the left-hand sidebar of your inbox.
Click on more to view the trash option right below spam.
Simply click on the empty trash icon.

Steps for Emptying Spam Emails

You will find a spam folder under More.
It is right above the trash icon and below All mail.
Now, select particular spam emails that you wish to delete.
Click the trash icon at the top.

9. Delete Gmail Email by Search Range

You can use the search bar method to delete emails by date range. Follow these simple steps.

Type the date range in the Gmail search bar.
The date range should be in the format ( YYY/MM/DD).
If you want to search emails after a specific date range, type after Y/MM/DD.
For emails before a specific date range, type: Y/MM/DD.
Press Enter to see all the desired emails based on a date range.
Select all the emails based on a specific date range for deletion. Select these emails by clicking on the box at the top-left corner of your email.
Now, click the text and select all conversations that match the search result.
Click on the trash icon to delete all these emails.

10. Delete Emails By Category

First, select the particular email category that you want to use. There are varied categories in which to choose your emails. Examples are social, promotions, updates, etc.

Now, click the rectangular checkbox at the top to select all the conversations.
Click on select All X conversations.
Click Delete.

11. Delete Emails By Read or Unread Status

We have seen various methods for deleting thousands of Gmail emails and individual emails from your inbox. Now, we will learn how to delete emails with unread status. However, Gmail does not offer a direct way to delete emails by reading their status.

Go to the Gmail inbox search bar and type unread.
Now, click the checkbox at the top left to select all the unread emails.
Click on the trash icon to delete these emails.

12. Delete All Emails in Gmail

Using Gmail, you can quickly delete all emails on your desktop and mobile device.

Delete All Emails in Gmail Via Desktop
Enter your login credentials and open your inbox on your desktop.
Select the particular category that you want to choose.
For example, you can select the inbox, All Mail, etc.
Click on the rectangular checkbox at the top left corner.
Click on the trash icon or delete button to delete all emails in Gmail.

Delete All Emails in Gmail via Mobile

Go to your Gmail app on your mobile device.
Tap the checkbox next to an email.
Select all the emails that you desire to delete.
Click on the trash icon in the top left corner.

Clean Up Your Inbox With One-Click with Inbox Zapper's Gmail Cleanup Tool for Free Today

If you want to stop junk email, you can’t delete it. The best way to reduce unwanted email is to unsubscribe from the lists that bombard you with messages. For that, you can use a tool like Inbox Zapper. This Gmail cleanup tool scans your inbox for email lists and unwanted emails.

Then, you can unsubscribe from email lists and delete their emails with one click. With its focus on privacy, Inbox Zapper doesn’t require you to hand over your email data to clean your inbox. Instead, all processing happens on your device. In short, Inbox Zapper will help you eliminate junk email for good.

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