This article describes how to delete spam messages from your inbox, as well as how to avoid them in the future. If you report a sufficient number of emails from a user as "Spam", the email client will usually immediately store unwanted messages that you receive in the future in the "Spam" folder.
Steps
Method 1 of 9: Preventing Spam in General
Step 1. Avoid disclosing your email address if possible
Of course, you will need to use your email for social media, bank accounts and official websites (e.g. government agencies). However, if you can avoid entering the email address on sites that you will only use once or twice, you will notice a significant reduction in the number of messages received.
Step 2. Look for the "unsubscribe" or "unsubscribe" button in the messages
When you receive an email from a service such as LinkedIn, Amazon, or a blog, you can usually opt out of receiving future communications by opening the message and clicking the "Unsubscribe" link or button.
- The button may say "Click to unsubscribe from these emails" or something similar.
- Once you click the "Unsubscribe" button, you will likely be redirected to another web page where you will need to confirm your decision.
Step 3. Create a sub account for spam messages
On some occasions you will need an active email address to sign up for a service and prove that you are an active user. To avoid receiving spam from other sites that will buy your mailbox information from the original service, you can use an address other than your main account.
You don't need to follow this advice for reputable sites like Facebook, Google, and others
Step 4. Block the spam sender's email address.
The steps required to complete this operation vary based on the email service provider you are using, but you can usually do this from the desktop client.
Method 2 of 9: Using Gmail (iPhone)
Step 1. Open Gmail
The icon for this app is white, with a red "M".
If you are not logged in to Gmail, first enter your email and password
Step 2. Press and hold a spam message
After a few moments, it will be selected.
If you need to change folders or accounts, press first ☰ in the upper left corner of the screen and select the desired folder or account from the menu that appears.
Step 3. Hit all other spam messages
This way you will select them all.
Step 4. Press…
You will see this button in the upper right corner of the screen. A menu will appear.
Step 5. Press Report Spam
This option is at the bottom of the drop-down menu. The email you have selected will be moved to the "Spam" folder and similar messages in the future will be automatically archived in the same folder.
You may need to report some messages from the same sender as spam before Gmail automatically starts filing them in the "Spam" folder
Step 6. Press ☰
It is located in the upper left corner of the screen.
Step 7. Press Spam
You will see this folder among the last ones in the menu; scroll down if you can't find it.
Step 8. Press Empty Spam Now
This entry is on the right side of the screen, just above the first message in the "Spam" folder.
Step 9. Press OK when prompted
The selected messages will be deleted from your Gmail account permanently.
Method 3 of 9: Using Gmail (Android)
Step 1. Open Gmail
The icon for this app is white, with a red "M".
If you are not logged in to Gmail, first enter your email and password
Step 2. Press and hold a spam message
After a few moments it will be selected.
If you need to switch folders or accounts, press first ☰ in the upper left corner of the screen and select the desired folder or account from the menu that appears.
Step 3. Hit all other spam messages
This way you will select them all.
Step 4. Press ⋮
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen. A menu will appear.
Step 5. Press Report Spam
You will see this item among the last ones in the menu.
Step 6. Press Report Spam & Unsubscribe
This will move the messages to the "Spam" folder and unsubscribe from the service.
If you don't see the button Report spam & unsubscribe, simply press Report spam.
Step 7. Press ☰
It is located in the upper left corner of the screen.
Step 8. Press Spam
You will see this folder among the last ones in the menu; if you can't find it, scroll down.
Step 9. Press Empty Spam Now
This entry is on the right side of the screen, just above the first message in the "Spam" folder.
Step 10. Press OK when prompted
The selected messages will be deleted from your Gmail account permanently.
Method 4 of 9: Using Gmail (Desktop)
Step 1. Visit the Gmail website
You can find it at https://www.mail.google.com/. If you are already logged into your account, your inbox will open.
If you are not logged in, enter your email and password before continuing
Step 2. Click the box to the left of a spam message
This will select the email.
- If you want to select multiple messages, repeat this for each email.
- To select all messages in the inbox, click the box above the "Primary" tab.
Step 3. Click the Stop icon
This button has an exclamation mark in the center and you can find it to the left of the trash can icon. Click it and you will move all the selected messages to the "Spam" folder.
Step 4. Click Spam
You will see this entry in the list of options on the right side of the page.
If you don't see "Spam", click "More labels" first
Step 5. Click the "Delete all spam mails now" link
This is the first entry in the folder. Press it and you will permanently delete all e-mails in the "Spam" folder.
Method 5 of 9: Use the iOS Mail app
Step 1. Open Mail
This app has a blue icon with a white envelope and is pre-installed on all iPhones, iPads and iPods.
Step 2. Press Edit
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen.
If the app opens to the "Mailboxes" page, press a folder first
Step 3. Hit each spam message
This way you will select them all.
Step 4. Press Report
You will see this button in the lower left corner of the screen. Press it and a menu will appear.
Step 5. Press Report Junk
The selected emails will be moved to the "Trash" folder.
Step 6. Press the "Back" button
This will take you back to the "Mailboxes" page.
Step 7. Press Junk Email
The corresponding folder will open and inside it you should see all the messages you just marked.
If you have more than one email address associated with the Mail app, make sure that the "Junk" folder you have opened is the one of the desired mailbox
Step 8. Press Edit
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 9. Press Clear All
You will see this option in the lower right corner of the screen.
Step 10. Press Clear All when prompted
This will delete all messages from the "Junk" folder.
Method 6 of 9: Use iCloud Mail
Step 1. Visit the iCloud Mail site
You can find it at https://www.icloud.com/# mail. If you are already signed in to iCloud, your inbox will open.
If you are not logged in, enter your iCloud email and password, then click →
Step 2. Click a message you want to report as spam
The email will open on the right side of the web page.
You can hold down the Ctrl or ⌘ Command keys and click messages to select more than one at a time
Step 3. Click the flag icon
You'll see it at the top, above the email you just opened. Press it and a menu will appear.
Step 4. Click Move to Junk
The messages you have selected will be moved to the iCloud "Junk" folder.
Step 5. Click Junk Email
You will see this entry on the left side of the page.
Step 6. Click an email
If you've moved multiple messages to the "Trash" folder, select them all.
Step 7. Click the trash can icon
It is located near that of the flag, above the part dedicated to messages. Press it and you will delete all selected emails.
Method 7 of 9: Using Yahoo (Mobile)
Step 1. Open Yahoo Mail
The app has a purple icon with a white envelope that says "YAHOO!". If you're signed in, your inbox will open.
If you're not signed in, enter your Yahoo email and password
Step 2. Press and hold a message
This way you will select it after a few moments.
Step 3. Hit more spam messages
They will be added to the current selection.
Step 4. Press…
You will find this button in the lower right corner of the screen.
Step 5. Press Report spam
This item is at the bottom of the screen. Press it and all the messages you have selected will be transferred to the "Spam" folder.
Step 6. Press ☰
This button is located in the upper left corner of the screen (iPhone) or on the left side of the "Inbox" search bar (Android).
Step 7. Scroll down and press the trash can icon to the right of the Spam entry
A menu will appear.
If you don't see the trash can icon, press Spam, select one of the messages in the folder and the icon should appear; press it.
Step 8. Press OK
This will delete all messages in the "Spam" folder.
Method 8 of 9: Using Yahoo (Desktop)
Step 1. Visit the Yahoo website
You can find it at https://www.yahoo.com/. The service home page will open.
Step 2. Click Mail
You will find this item in the upper right corner of the page. Press it and your inbox will open.
If you are not signed in to Yahoo, click Log in in the upper right corner of the page, then enter your email and password.
Step 3. Click the box to the left of a spam message
This will select it.
- You can repeat the operation for all unwanted messages in the mailbox.
- Check the box above the first email on the left side of the page if you want to select all the messages in the folder.
Step 4. Click Spam
You will see this item in the toolbar at the top of the inbox. Press it and you will move all the selected messages to the "Spam" folder.
Step 5. Click the trash can icon to the right of the "Spam" folder
The folder is located on the left side of the web page, directly under the "Archive" folder.
Step 6. Click OK when prompted
This will permanently remove all messages from the "Spam" folder of your Yahoo account.
Method 9 of 9: Use Outlook (Desktop)
Step 1. Visit the Outlook website. You can find it at the following url: https://www.outlook.com/. If you're signed in, your inbox will open.
- If you are not logged in, enter your Outlook email and password.
- You cannot report messages as spam on the Outlook mobile app.
Step 2. Click the small box to the left of an unwanted message
This will select it.
Repeat this for all emails in the mailbox that you want to delete
Step 3. Click Junk Email
This entry is located above the inbox. Press it and you will flag all selected messages as spam, which will be moved to the "Trash" folder.
Step 4. Click the Junk folder
You will find it on the left side of the page.
Step 5. Click Empty folder
This button is located at the top of the "Trash" folder.
Step 6. Click OK when prompted
This will delete all messages in the "Trash" folder.
