How do I get my emails out of spam for Hotmail and Outlook?

Summary

To improve email deliverability to Hotmail and Outlook, it is crucial to focus on building and maintaining a strong sender reputation through various strategies. These include implementing robust authentication methods (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), ensuring clean and engaged email lists by removing inactive subscribers and implementing double opt-ins, and segmenting lists to send relevant content. Monitoring and addressing spam complaints through feedback loops and the Junk Email Reporting Program (JMRP) is vital, as is ensuring mobile-friendly email designs. Additionally, warming up new IP addresses gradually, avoiding shared IP pools with questionable senders, and actively monitoring sender reputation metrics provided by ISPs are highly recommended. Understanding that Hotmail's filtering is heavily user-influenced and that recovery from deliverability issues may take longer than with Gmail are also key considerations.

Key findings

  • Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is critical for verifying sender identity and improving deliverability.
  • List Hygiene: Cleaning email lists to remove inactive or invalid addresses, and using double opt-in, ensures higher engagement rates and better sender reputation.
  • Sender Reputation: Maintaining a positive sender reputation, influenced by low complaint rates, engagement, and consistent sending practices, is essential.
  • Feedback Loops: Implementing feedback loops with ISPs like Outlook.com helps identify and remove recipients who mark emails as spam.
  • Shared IP Risks: Shared IP pools can negatively impact deliverability due to the actions of other senders; a dedicated IP is often preferable.
  • User influence: Hotmail/Outlook filtering is greatly influenced by user actions like marking as not spam and whitelisting.

Key considerations

  • Engagement Focus: Prioritize sending emails that recipients want and engage with to build a positive sender reputation and avoid spam filters.
  • Monitor Metrics: Actively monitor sender reputation metrics provided by ISPs (like SNDS) and tools (like MXToolbox and Sender Score) to identify and address issues promptly.
  • Gradual Warm-up: Gradually warm up new IP addresses with a low sending volume, progressively increasing it over time to establish a positive sending history.
  • Complaint Management: Actively monitor and respond to feedback loop reports, removing complaining users from your list immediately to avoid further negative impact on your reputation.
  • Mobile Optimization: Ensure emails are mobile-friendly and display correctly on various devices to improve user experience and reduce negative signals to ISPs.
  • Algorithm Updates: Be aware that Hotmail/Outlook algorithms change frequently and adjust email strategies accordingly.
  • Authentication Maintenance: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured and maintained, as improper setup can negatively impact deliverability.
  • Reassess Segmentation: Reassess engagement segmentation / volume & frequency as Outlook may be adjusting its filtering algorithms.

What email marketers say
13Marketer opinions

To improve email deliverability to Hotmail and Outlook, marketers need to focus on authentication, sending to engaged recipients, and maintaining a clean sending reputation. Key strategies include authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, cleaning email lists to remove inactive users, segmenting lists based on engagement, warming up IP addresses gradually, and actively monitoring and addressing spam complaints through feedback loops. Ensuring mobile-friendly email designs and whitelisting are also beneficial.

Key opinions

  • Authentication: Authenticating emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying sender identity and improving deliverability.
  • Engagement: Sending emails only to engaged recipients who want and expect them reduces spam complaints and improves sender reputation.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists to remove inactive or invalid addresses ensures higher engagement rates and a better sender reputation.
  • Feedback Loops: Implementing feedback loops with ISPs like Outlook.com helps identify and remove recipients who mark emails as spam.
  • Sender Reputation: Maintaining a positive sender reputation is crucial, influenced by factors like low complaint rates, engagement, and consistent sending practices.

Key considerations

  • Algorithm Changes: Outlook's spam filtering algorithms may change frequently, requiring ongoing monitoring and adjustments to email sending strategies.
  • Whitelisting: Encouraging Hotmail/Outlook subscribers to whitelist the sender's address can significantly improve inbox placement.
  • IP Warm-up: Gradually warming up new IP addresses by starting with a low sending volume and increasing it over time helps establish a positive reputation.
  • Mobile Optimization: Ensure emails are mobile-friendly to avoid negative signals due to poor user experience on mobile devices.
  • Engagement Segmentation: Segmenting email lists based on engagement and tailoring content accordingly can improve deliverability.
  • Complaint feedback loop: Setup a complaint feedback loop so you can remove users from your list that complain and mark you as spam
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that the volume and reputation matter with Hotmail. Ensure you are slowly increasing volume to build up a good reputation with them as a sender. Make sure you follow authentication protocols SPF, DKIM and DMARC.

March 2024 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel highlights the significance of cleaning your email list regularly to remove inactive or invalid email addresses. He suggests using email verification tools and implementing a double opt-in process to ensure subscribers are genuinely interested in receiving your emails, improving your sender reputation.

August 2023 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailToolTester suggests segmenting your email list based on recipient engagement levels. Send targeted emails to active subscribers and re-engage inactive ones with special offers or surveys. This improves engagement rates and signals to ISPs that your emails are valuable.

August 2023 - EmailToolTester
Marketer view

Email marketer from Microsoft Support emphasizes the importance of using the Junk Email Reporting Program (JMRP) to identify and remove malicious or abusive email senders from your lists. This helps maintain a clean sending reputation. They also advise using Sender ID to authenticate your emails.

November 2024 - Microsoft Support
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that to avoid spam filters, you should authenticate your emails and only send mail to people who want and expect it.

August 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that feedback loops are crucial for identifying and removing recipients who mark your emails as spam. He recommends signing up for feedback loops with major ISPs like Outlook.com to receive notifications about spam complaints and promptly remove those recipients from your list.

December 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass explains the importance of warming up new IP addresses gradually. Starting with a low sending volume and gradually increasing it over time helps establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs, preventing emails from being flagged as spam.

June 2023 - GMass
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares their observation of increasing spam filtering for many clients since the beginning of April, even those with low complaint rates. They suggest reassessing engagement segmentation, volume, and frequency as Outlook may be adjusting its filtering algorithms.

July 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares the advice to get as many Hotmail subscribers as possible to whitelist your From address to improve Hotmail deliverability.

January 2025 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendgrid shares advice specifically for outlook and hotmail including advice on not sending to inactive users and setting up a complaint feedback loop.

November 2023 - Sendgrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stack Overflow mentions ensuring the 'From:' address matches the domain's SPF record is critical. He also notes that reverse DNS (PTR records) should be properly configured for your sending IP address to verify the domain's association with the IP, enhancing credibility.

September 2024 - Stack Overflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus recommends designing your emails with mobile devices in mind. Ensure your emails are responsive and display correctly on various screen sizes. Poor mobile experiences can lead to lower engagement rates and negative signals to ISPs.

April 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares observations that common factors for clients experiencing spam filtering increases are high spam complaint rates, unsubscribe rates, and bounce rates.

October 2024 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
5Expert opinions

To improve email deliverability for Hotmail and Outlook, it's crucial to manage sender reputation effectively and prioritize user engagement. Recovery from spam issues may take longer than with Gmail. Shared IP pools can be problematic if other senders on the IP have poor practices. Hotmail's filtering is highly influenced by user actions, like whitelisting, and these filters are frequently updated. Strong authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are extremely beneficial.

Key opinions

  • Recovery Time: Recovering from spam filter issues on Hotmail/Outlook can take longer compared to Gmail.
  • Shared IP Risks: Shared IP pools present risks because the actions of other senders can impact deliverability.
  • User Influence: Hotmail's filtering is significantly influenced by user actions, such as adding senders to their address book or whitelisting them.
  • Sender Reputation Importance: Maintaining a good sender reputation by sending engaging content is essential for inbox placement.
  • Email authentication: Setting up modern email delivery with SPF, DKIM and DMARC improves reputation and delivery rates.

Key considerations

  • Shared IP Monitoring: If using a shared IP, be aware of other senders' practices and their potential impact on your deliverability.
  • Hotmail Filter Sensitivity: Be mindful of Hotmail's sensitive filters, which can change frequently, requiring ongoing monitoring and adjustments.
  • User Engagement: Prioritize sending emails that recipients want and engage with to build a positive sender reputation.
  • Sender reputation metrics: Actively monitor sender reputation using the metrics provided by ISPs.
  • User whitelisting: Encourage users to whitelist you to help with deliverability into Outlook and Hotmail.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that after cleaning up email sending practices, recovery from spam filters at Hotmail/Outlook takes longer than at Gmail.

August 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sender reputation is crucial for deliverability. Sending emails that recipients want and engage with builds a positive reputation, increasing the likelihood of inbox placement. She also suggests actively monitoring sender reputation metrics provided by ISPs.

December 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that shared IP pools can be tricky, as the actions of other senders on the same IP can negatively impact deliverability, even if you are following best practices. IP reputation still matters at Outlook/Hotmail.

August 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise shares the necessity for modern email delivery and authentication using SPF, DKIM and DMARC. This helps improve reputation and delivery rates.

June 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that Hotmail's filtering is heavily influenced by its users. Getting users to add the sender to their address book or whitelist them significantly improves deliverability. He also notes that Hotmail's filters are very sensitive and can change frequently.

August 2024 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Improving email deliverability to Hotmail and Outlook involves ensuring the sending IP is not blocklisted, implementing strong authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), providing easy unsubscribe options, and monitoring sender reputation. DMARC enhances security by defining policies for handling authentication failures. Sender reputation, based on volume, complaints, and engagement, significantly impacts inbox placement.

Key findings

  • IP Blocklists: Ensuring the sending IP address is not on any blocklists is a crucial step for email deliverability.
  • Email Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is vital for authenticating emails and verifying sender identity.
  • Unsubscribe Process: Providing an easy and accessible unsubscribe process improves user experience and reduces spam complaints.
  • Sender Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitoring sender reputation using tools like Microsoft SNDS, MXToolbox, and Sender Score is essential for identifying and addressing issues.
  • DMARC Policy: DMARC provides a policy framework for handling emails that fail SPF and DKIM checks, enhancing security and preventing spoofing.

Key considerations

  • Regular Monitoring: Regularly check IP addresses against blocklists and monitor sender reputation metrics.
  • Authentication Implementation: Ensure proper implementation and configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  • Complaint Handling: Actively address and resolve any issues identified through sender reputation monitoring to improve deliverability.
  • Accessibility: Ensure the unsubscribe process is easily accessible and functional to reduce frustration and spam complaints.
  • Proactive Remediation: Take immediate action to address any identified issues, such as contacting blocklist providers or adjusting sending practices.
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains the importance of monitoring your sending reputation and IP address for any blocklisting. They advise using tools like MXToolbox and Sender Score to check your reputation and taking immediate action to resolve any issues, such as contacting the blocklist provider.

June 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from RFC describes DKIM, which allows an organization to take responsibility for a message by associating its domain name with it. Responsibility is asserted by affixing a digital signature to the message, which can be verified by mail systems.

November 2021 - RFC
Technical article

Documentation from DMARC.org clarifies that DMARC builds upon SPF and DKIM to provide a policy framework for email authentication. It allows domain owners to specify how email receivers should handle messages that fail SPF and DKIM checks, preventing spoofing and phishing attacks.

March 2025 - DMARC.org
Technical article

Documentation from Return Path, now Validity, explains the impact of sender reputation on email deliverability. Sender reputation is based on factors like email volume, complaint rates, and engagement metrics. A high sender reputation increases the likelihood of emails reaching the inbox.

April 2021 - Validity
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft Docs outlines several best practices, including ensuring your sending IP address isn't on any blocklists, authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and providing an easy unsubscribe process. They also recommend monitoring your sender reputation using Microsoft's Smart Network Data Services (SNDS).

June 2024 - Microsoft Docs