Report Suspicious Message to Microsoft from Outlook using the add-in app "Report Message"

Overview

Suspicious (spam, phishing) messages can be reported to Microsoft and managed in Outlook by using the "Report Message" add-in. Messages that are usually marked as junk are automatically moved to your junk folder. However, by using the Report Message add-in, this message will be reported to Microsoft to assist them in improving their spam filters. 

There are several different options once you click Report Message:

• Junk / Phishing / Not Junk / Options / Help 

The options Junk, Phishing, or Not Junk will send a copy of the message to Microsoft along with your classification of the message. 

Procedures

Outlook Desktop App

• Downloading the "Report Message" add-in from Outlook Desktop Application

1. 1. Open Outlook.
   2. Click the "Get Add-ins" button located in the upper right of the ribbon.

[Get Add-ins button for desktop]

3. Type report message in the search bar located in the upper right corner.

4. Click Report Message from the list below.

5. Click Add. 

The Report Message button is added to the far right of the Outlook ribbon.

• Change your Report Message Options to automatically send a report to Microsoft

1. 1. Click the Report Message button from the Outlook ribbon on the Desktop app.
   2. Choose Options.
      
      
      [Report Message button with Options... highlighted]
   3. Make sure there is a check mark to the left of "Ask me before sending a report"

• Using the Report Message button in the Desktop App

1. 1. With a message opened, click Report Message button from the ribbon and choose Junk,  Phishing, or Not Junk and a message will appear on the screen asking if you would like to report this message.
   2. Click the Report button.

Outlook - Web App (OWA)

• Downloading the "Report Message" add-in from Outlook (web app OWA)

1. 1. Click the Get add-ins button in the upper right of the ribbon.
      
      [Get add-ins button for OWA]
      
      
   2. Type report message in the search bar in the upper right corner.
   3. Click Report message.

You may get a message that this was already downloaded if you added this in the Desktop app.

• Using the Report Message button in OWA to Report Phishing or Junk

1. 1. With a message opened, click the drop down arrow to the right of the Report message icon.
      
      [Report message icon showing options, Report phishing and Report junk]
   2. Choose Report phishing or Report junk and a message appears to click ok to report this message.

References/Links 

Use the Report Message add-in

Last Reviewed:  16-May-2023