Unsubscribe from emails manually on your computer
The straightforward way to unsubscribe from an unwanted email is to use a built-in unsubscribe option that is mandatory for all commercial emails. Here's how to block emails by manually unsubscribing from mailing lists:
- 1.Find the “Unsubscribe” button, which is usually placed at the bottom of the email, and click it.
- 2.You'll be directed to the company's page and depending on the company, you'll either see a message that you have successfully unsubscribed, or you'll be asked to confirm your email address so that it can be removed from the company's mailing list. Some companies might also require a user to request in writing to end their subscription, asking them to send an email with the word “Unsubscribe.”
There might be variations to the unsubscribing process depending on the company, but the outline remains the same. It's important to mention that links to unsubscribe are often placed at the end of the message and may be hidden behind a chunk of disclaimers, terms and conditions, and other information users are reluctant to read.
Keep in mind that there’s also a chance of malware being hidden behind the unsubscribe link. However, the chances of such an encounter are low. Your best strategy is to avoid clicking on links or downloads in a phishy-looking message from an unknown or unsolicited source.
Many email platforms can distinguish marketing emails by detecting unsubscribe links and providing solutions to unsubscribe. Let's look at how this function works on different platforms.
Gmail
Gmail has a built-in unsubscribe feature that can be accessed directly from the Gmail inbox. To find it, open any marketing email you've recently received — you'll see the “Unsubscribe” link right to the sender's email address.
Once you click “Unsubscribe,” a popup window will appear asking you to confirm your decision by clicking “Unsubscribe” again.
Once you’ve unsubscribed through Gmail, all emails from the same sender will be sent straight to the spam folder. However, keep in mind that this option only works on the desktop version of Gmail.
It's worth noting that as part of Gmail’s security and optimization against clustering, the service automatically transfers many messages to its “Social” and “Promotions” folders to keep marketing emails separate from your main inbox.
Yahoo
Yahoo offers a feature that lets you see all the emails you subscribe to and unsubscribe in a specific folder. Here's how to find this folder and manage your subscriptions:
- 1.
Log in to your Yahoo mail account.
- 2.
Navigate to “Subscriptions” on the left side menu. If you cannot see the tab there, click the “Hide” and “Show” button beneath “Trash” — doing so will open more options, among which you should find “Subscriptions.”
- 3.
A new window will open where you’ll find two tabs: “Active,” showing your active email subscriptions, and “Unsubscribed,” showing canceled email subscriptions.
- 4.
Each subscription has an “Unsubscribe” button. Click it, and you'll end your subscription.
Outlook
Microsoft Outlook provides two options to unsubscribe from unwanted emails. One way is through an unsubscribe link you can find when you open a promotional message. You'll find a line at the top of the email saying, “Getting too much email? Unsubscribe | Manage subscriptions.”
When unsubscribed, all the emails from the sender will be forwarded to the spam folder. If you'd like to manage all your subscriptions simultaneously, the better solution is to access a list of them via the “Subscriptions” tab. You can do so by following these steps:
- 1.
Click the gear icon on the upper right corner of the menu.
- 2.
Find and choose the “View all Outlook settings” option.
- 3.
Click “Mail,” then “Subscriptions.”
- 4.
A list of your subscriptions will open. Click the “Unsubscribe” button next to the companies you are not willing to receive emails from — in the future, their messages will be automatically steered to the spam folder.
How to unsubscribe from spam emails on your phone
The way to unsubscribe from unwanted emails on your phone depends on its operating system and email mobile apps. Let's look at how to unsubscribe from unwanted email messages on the email apps inherent in two major phone operating systems — iOS and Android.
iPhone
The Apple Mail app is the native iOS operating system's email application. The Mail app is able to detect if the email message you received has been sent from a mailing list, and in such cases, display the unsubscribe link above the email, as in the example below:
After you tap “Unsubscribe,” a popup window will appear asking you to confirm your decision.
Android
The Android operating system uses Gmail as its native email app. The easiest way to get rid of unwanted emails on Android's Gmail version is to block the sender. Afterward, the blocked messages will go straight to your spam folder. You can block a sender by following these steps:
- 1.
Open the message whose sender you’d like to block.
- 2.
Tap the “More” button (three horizontal dots) in the top right of the message.
- 3.
Tap “Block.”
Whenever the user receives a lot of messages from a particular sender but rarely opens them, Gmail on Android assumes these may be spam or marketing emails. To help get rid of them, it provides the option to unsubscribe from the mailing lists. Follow these steps to unsubscribe:
- 1.
Open an email from the sender you no longer want to subscribe to.
- 2.
Tap “Unsubscribe” or “Change preferences,” which should appear at the bottom of the message. However, if you don’t see this option, it means the sender didn’t provide the necessary information on how to unsubscribe.
Keep in mind that it might take a couple of days before you are taken off the sender’s mailing list.
How to mass unsubscribe from unwanted emails
If you use the services of more than one email provider, you might find it easier to unsubscribe from unwanted emails in bulk. However, most email platforms are unable to provide tools or built-in features that allow mass unsubscribing. But that doesn’t mean that mass unsubscribing is impossible. Whether you want to unsubscribe from Quora emails or are looking to block email tracking, you’ll find plenty of third-party providers that will offer such service. A number of free apps offer bulk unsubscribing tools to block emails and clear your inbox with just a few clicks.
However, as alluring as they are, mass unsubscribe services require access to your inbox, making it susceptible to monitoring or even enabling unsubscribe service providers to sell your sensitive information to third parties. Therefore, before choosing such an option, you should be careful to evaluate the safety and reputation of the service provider. Or use a free anonymous email account for your communications.
Finally, if you’re looking for tools to help you reclaim your online privacy, check out Incogni. It’s a personal data removal service that scours the internet (public websites, search engines, and private databases) for your private information by sending regular requests to data brokers. Incogni also asks to add your profile to data broker suppression lists, where available, making sure your name is never listed on certain databases again. While the service doesn’t include any type of email unsubscribing, it’s an optimal tool to keep your email address and other sensitive information exposure to a minimum.
Why is it important to unsubscribe from spam or unwanted emails?
Unsubscribing from unwanted emails or spam senders may reduce the correspondence you receive and boost your online security by preventing phishing emails from reaching you. Here are the major advantages of tidying a cluttered inbox:
- Focus on important messages. Getting rid of unnecessary emails makes it easier to locate important messages and keep your inbox clean and organized.
- Time saving. It takes time to sort through spam emails in search of the important ones. By unsubscribing, you’ll likely spend less time managing your inbox.
- Reduced risk of scams and malware. It’s not uncommon for spam emails to contain malware or use various social engineering schemes to trick users into handing over their personal information. Actions as simple as opening a spam email can lead to you downloading malicious software. By unsubscribing from unwanted emails, you’ll reduce the risk of exposure to many cyber threats.
- Better privacy protection. Spammers can collect information about when and where you open their emails. This way, bad actors check if your email account is active so they can send even more unwanted messages. When unsubscribing from spam emails, you’ll cut out the possibility of them monitoring your activity and whereabouts.
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