Safe Sender List Instructions

How to keep VGS email out of your junk or spam folder

You can ensure that emails from specific addresses reach your Inbox, and not your junk or spam folder, by adding them to a safe senders list, which is also called “whitelisting”. Depending on the email program, you may add specific email addresses and/or domain names.

Your email provider or security service (if you use one) has their own instructions for adding an email address to a whitelist.
The quick-reference instructions listed below come from a variety of sources (compiled June 2018) and one should work for you. If not, or your provider is not listed, you can look up instructions with the provider or service you use.

Android Devices
  1. In the default email client, touch the picture of the sender.
  2. Click OK to add to contacts.
Apple Mail
Desktop

Apple Mail – if an email from us is in the Junk folder:

⦁ Teach Apple Mail’s filter to allow future messages:

  1. Open the Junk folder and find the message.
  2. Move the message to the Inbox.

-OR-
⦁ Add the From email to the address book:

  1. Open the message, right-click the sender email address
  2. Choose Add to Contacts.

ALTERNATE
⦁ Prevent filtering known senders’ mail as spam:

  1. In the Mac OS X Mail top menu, click Mail > Preferences.
  2. Click the Junk Mail tab.
  3. In the section labeled “The following types of messages are exempt from junk mail filtering,” place a check mark in the box in front of Sender of message is in my Contacts.
  4. Optionally, check Sender of message is in my Previous Recipients as well.
  5. Close the Preferences window

To whitelist all email from a specific domain:

  1. In the Mac OS X Mail top menu, click Mail > Preferences.
  2. Click the Rules tab.
  3. Click Add Rule.
  4. Type a name in the Description field, such as “Whitelist: vgs.org”, to identify the new rule.
  5. For the conditions, set the first dropdown menu item to any, so that it reads: If any of the following conditions are met.
  6. In the next two dropdown menus, select From in the first, and Ends with for the second.
  7. In the text field following Ends with, enter the domain’s name that you want to whitelist. Include the ampersand “@” before the domain name to make the filter specific – e.g., @vgs.org.
  8. Click the plus sign next to the last condition to add another domain with the same criteria if you want to whitelist more domains.
  9. In the Perform the following actions section, set the three dropdown items to: Move Message, to the mailbox: Inbox (or specify a different target folder of your choosing).
  10. Click OK to save the rule.
  11. Close the Rules window.

⦁ MacMail (pre-Mavericks OS)

  1. Open a message from the desired sender.
  2. Ctrl-click the sender’s email address and select Open in Address Book.
  3. Verify the sender’s contact details.
  4. Click Save.

ALTERNATE:

  1. Open a message from the desired sender.
  2. Go to Message in the top tool bar.
  3. Click Add Sender to Address Book from the drop-down menu.

For additional information about Apple Mail, visit the Apple Mail Support Page.
https://www.apple.com/support/mac-apps/mail/

Mobile

If an email from us is in the Junk folder:

⦁ Teach Apple Mail’s filter to allow future messages:

  1. Open the Junk folder and find the message.
  2. Move the message to the Inbox.

-OR-
⦁ Add the From email to the address book:

  1. Open the message, tap the From email address.
  2. Tap Create new Contact and input the address in the contacts list.

For additional information about the Mail app, visit the Apple Mail Support Page.
https://www.apple.com/support/mac-apps/mail/

AOL
WebMail
  1. Open the email.
  2. Click on the sender’s name and email address.
  3. Click Add to Address Book in the window that appears.
  4. Enter any additional information.
  5. Click Save.

Alternate: if AOL Webmail delivers a legitimate message to spam:

  1. Open the Spam folder, and click the message.
  2. Click the OK, Not Spam button.
AOLv9
  1. Open a message from the desired sender.
  2. Click the Add Address icon on the right side of the window.
  3. Click OK.

ALTERNATE:

  1. Copy the From address from the latest email.
  2. In the pop-up box, select Add.
  3. Paste the copied address/type the address required in the Other email field.
  4. Make the newly added address the “Primary email address” by checking the checkbox.
  5. Select Save.
AOLv7/8
  1. Open a message from the desired sender.
  2. Click the Add Address icon on the right side of the window.
  3. Click the Save button.

ALTERNATE:
⦁ AOL 8.0

  1. Select Mail in the menu on the top of the screen.
  2. Select Mail Controls.
  3. The Mail Control Screen would be displayed. Select Next.
  4. Select Customize Mail Controls for this Screen Name and click Next.
  5. You can select “Allow email from all AOL members, email addresses and domains” (allows all emails).
  6. Select Next until the Save button shows up at the bottom.
  7. Select Save.

⦁ AOL 7.0

  1. Select Mail in the menu on the top of the screen.
  2. Select Mail Controls.
  3. The Mail Control Screen would be displayed. Select Next.
  4. Select Customize Mail Controls for this Screen Name and click Next.
  5. In the exclusion and inclusion parameters, include the domain xxxxx.com (e.g., vgs.org).

For additional information, visit the AOL Support Page, https://help.aol.com/.

BellSouth / AT&T Web Email
  1. Open your mailbox.
  2. Select Options on the top right hand side.
  3. Go to Mail Options, select Filters.
  4. Click Add Filter.
  5. In the top row, labeled From Header, select Contains from the pull down menu. Enter the address in the text box next to the pull down menu.
    You can either give a specific email address or use @xxxxx.com or *xxxxx.com to whitelist the domain (e.g., @vgs.org).
  6. Move down to the bottom where there is the option Move the message to. Select Inbox from the drop-down menu.
  7. Click the Add Filter button once again.
Comcast
  1. Click Preferences from the menu.
  2. Click Restrict Incoming Email.
  3. Click Yes to Enable Email Controls.
  4. Click Allow email from addresses listed below.
  5. Enter the email address you want to whitelist.
  6. Click Add.
  7. Click Update to finish.
Comcast SmartZone
  1. Click Address Book.
  2. Click New and choose New Contact.
  3. Add the email address and any additional information.
  4. Click Save.
Cox.net Email
  1. Go to WebMail Inbox window.
  2. Click Preferences.
  3. Go to General Email Preferences, and click Blocked Senders.
  4. Type in the sender or domain you wish to allow in the Exceptions List.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Click Save.
EarthLink
  1. Open the Address Book (on the left below Folders).
  2. Click Add New Contact.
  3. On the Add Contact screen, find the Internet Information box.
  4. Enter the desired address, or domain (e.g., vgs.org) into the top Email box.
  5. Click OK/Save.
EarthLink Total Access
  1. Open a message from the desired sender.
  2. In the From field, right-click the email address.
  3. Click the Add to Address Book link in the menu.
  4. Click OK.
Entourage
  1. Open the email.
  2. Right-click the sender’s email address.
  3. Select Add to Address Book in the short-cut menu.
  4. Verify the sender’s contact details.
  5. Click Save.
Gmail
To ensure that you receive emails in your inbox, you can add the email address to your contact list. If one of our mails has been moved to the spam folder, you can mark it “Not Spam” to whitelist it. Otherwise:

  1. Select Contacts from the options on the left side of the Gmail Inbox.
  2. Select Create Contact on the top menu.
  3. Enter the email address in the primary email box.
  4. Select Save.

For additional information about Gmail, visit the Gmail Support Page, https://support.google.com/.

McAfee SpamKiller
  1. Click Friends.
  2. Click Add.
  3. Type the trusted email address or domain (e.g., vgs.org) in the space provided.
  4. Click OK.
Mobile.me
  1. Click the email address in the header of the message you’re viewing.
  2. Click Add to finish.
Mozilla Thunderbird

Check if your contact’s email is in your Junk folder; if so right-click on the email and choose Mark As Not Junk. If it is not already in “Junk”:

  1. Click Address Book.
  2. Make sure that the Personal Address Book is highlighted.
  3. Click New Card, the New Card window will display.
  4. Under the Contact tab, copy your contact’s From address and paste it into the Email dialog box.
  5. Click OK.

Note: Make sure your address book is set to be whitelisted. Steps:

  1. Click the three-bar Hamburger button.
  2. Choose Options.
  3. Choose Account Settings, and the name of your email account.
  4. Go to Junk Settings.
  5. Check the box to Enable adaptive junk mail controls.
  6. Ensure the box next to the Personal Address Book is checked to add it to the safe list.
MSN
  1. Select Settings: Email > Junk e-mail (bottom left, just above Calendar).
  2. From the E-mail settings screen, select Junk E-mail Guard.
  3. Select Safe List.
  4. Enter the email address.
    Example: You can either enter a specific email address or use *xxxxx.com or @xxxxx.com to whitelist the domain (e.g., @vgs.org).
  5. Select Add.

ALTERNATE:

  1. Click on Help & Settings.
  2. Click Email Settings.
  3. Click on Safe List.
  4. In Add an item to this list, either enter a specific email address or use *xxxxx.com or @xxxxx.com to whitelist the domain (e.g., @vgs.org).
  5. Click Add.
NetZero
  1. Go to Options and click Safe List.
  2. Type the trusted domain or address in Add Address to Safe List.
  3. Click Add.
  4. Click Save.
Norton AntiSpam
AntiSpam works along with Outlook, Outlook Express, Netscape and Yahoo, MSN/Hotmail to block spam mails before it reaches your inbox. To make sure emails reach you, you can add us to your Personal Friends list or Global Friends list. Here is how you can do that:

  1. Start Norton AntiSpam, select Status & Settings tab.
  2. Select AntiSpam.
  3. Select Configure button – right hand side bottom of the screen.
  4. Select Allowed List tab – second tab on the list of tabs.
  5. Select Add.
  6. Enter email address in the Email Address box.
  7. Select OK.
Outlook
In general, if one of our emails has been delivered to Junk, you can mark it as "not junk" to whitelist it.

  1. Open the Junk folder, and click the message.
  2. Click Not Junk.
Office365
  1. Click on Settings (gear icon at the top) > Mail.
  2. Under Options, select Block or Allow.
  3. Under Safe Senders and Recipients, enter the sender’s email address or domain (e.g., vgs.org) and click the + icon (Add).
  4. (Optional) Select the Trust email from my contacts check box to treat email from any address in your contacts folders as safe.
  5. Click Save.
2013/2016
  1. In Outlook, go to the Home tab.
  2. Click Junk > Junk Email Options.
  3. Select the Safe Senders tab and click Add.
  4. In the Add address or domain box, enter the email address or the domain name (e.g., vgs.org) you want to whitelist.
  5. Click OK and close the window.
2016-Mac
Outlook 2016 (Mac) users will need to log into Office 365 as this option is no longer available client side. See steps above for Office 365.
2011-Mac
⦁ To approve a new contact:

  1. Click Tools.
  2. Click Junk Email Protection and select the Safe Domains tab.
  3. Type in the sender’s email address.
  4. Click OK.

⦁ To remove a blocked sender:

  1. Click Tools, then Junk E-mail Protection.
  2. On the Level tab, set the level of protection to Low.
    Note: if the level is set to None, you cannot edit the Blocked Senders List.
  3. Click the Blocked Senders tab.
  4. Examine the Blocked Senders list for email address or email domain you wish to unblock.
  5. Remove that entry or entries.
  6. Click OK.
2010
  1. In Outlook, go to the Home tab.
  2. Click the Junk button.
  3. Choose Junk E-Mail Options from the drop-down list.
  4. Go to the Safe Senders tab.
  5. Type in either the email address or the domain name (e.g., vgs.org) you wish to add.
  6. Click OK.
2003/2007
⦁ Without an example email address in your inbox:

  1. Select Actions from the toolbar at the top of the screen.
  2. Select Junk E-mail.
  3. Select Junk E-mail Options…
  4. Click the Safe Sender tab.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Type in the email address you wish to add to your safe sender list.
  7. Click OK.

⦁ With an example email address in your inbox:

  1. Open the email.
  2. In the Toolbar options at the top, click the Safe Lists drop-down.
    Note: this is located in the Junk Email section
  3. Select Add sender to Address book.
  4. Click OK.

⦁ To white list an entire domain:

  1. Open the email.
  2. In the Toolbar options at the top, click the Safe Lists drop-down.
    Note: this is located in the Junk Email section.
  3. Select Add Sender’s Domain to Safe Senders List (should be @vgs.org).
  4. Click OK.
Hotmail
If one of our emails has been delivered to Junk, you can mark it as “not junk” to whitelist it.

  1. Open the Junk folder, and right-click the message.
  2. Click Not Junk.

If the email address is not in your Junk folder:

  1. Open your Outlook mailbox.
  2. Select Options from the top right (next to the question mark).
  3. Select More options > Safe and blocked senders (under Preventing junk email) > Safe senders.
  4. In the space provided, enter the address. You can either enter a specific email address or use @vgs.org to whitelist the domain.
  5. Select Add to list.
  6. Ensure the safe mailing lists box has the address you entered, and select OK.

For additional information visit the Outlook Support Page, https://support.office.com/en-us/outlook.

Road Runner
Adding an email address to the safe sender list will add the email to your inbox and future emails will be delivered to the inbox.

  1. Open your Road Runner mailbox.
  2. Open your Junk Mail folder.
  3. Select the email that includes the email address you would like to add as a safe sender.
  4. Click Mark as Not Spam.
SpamAssassin
  1. Find the SpamAssassin folder on your hard drive, and open it.
  2. Open the file named user_prefs with a text editor (such as Notepad).
  3. Make a new line in the file. On that line, enter whitelist_from, followed by the address that you wish to whitelist. To whitelist the domain, enter @xxxxxx.com (e.g., @vgs.org).
  4. Save and close the file.

For more comprehensive information, visit https://wiki.apache.org/spamassassin/ManualWhitelist.

Verizon
  1. Open your Inbox.
  2. Click Options.
  3. Click Block Senders.
  4. Locate the Safe List.
  5. Enter the trusted email address or domain (e.g., vgs.org).
  6. Click OK.
Windows Live
  1. Open a message from the desired sender.
  2. Click Mark as safe next to the From name and address.
  3. Click Add contact.
Windstream
  1. Click the Settings tab.
  2. Click Messages.
  3. Click Allow and Block Messages.
  4. Select Advanced Block Senders.
  5. In the Allowed Senders and Domains area type the senders and domains you want to allow (full email address, or the domain vgs.org).
  6. Click OK.
Yahoo
In Yahoo Mail, your Contacts list is your whitelist.
⦁ If one of our mails has been sent to the spam folder, you can mark it “Not Spam” to whitelist it.

  1. Open the Spam folder, and click the message.
  2. Click Not Spam.

⦁ To add the From Address to your Yahoo Contacts:

  1. Open your Yahoo mailbox.
  2. Click the address book icon under the Yahoo! Mail logo. When you roll your mouse over it, it will say Contacts.
  3. Click New Contact.
  4. Fill in the fields of your Contact.
  5. Click Save.

Mail from this sender should now be delivered to your Inbox.
For additional information about Yahoo Mail, visit the Yahoo Support Page, https://help.yahoo.com/kb/new-mail-for-desktop.