Tutorials

SpamOut is a simple and powerful tool that automatically monitors your email accounts and removes spam emails for you. It runs quietly in the background on your Mac, keeping your inbox clean without requiring any manual work.

 

Finding SpamOut

 

When SpamOut is running, you will see an envelope icon in your Mac's menu bar at the top of the screen. This icon appears in the top-right corner, near the clock and other menu bar items.

 

Click on the envelope icon to open the SpamOut menu. From here, you can access Preferences to configure the app, or quit SpamOut if needed.

 

Setting Up Your First Email Account

 

Before SpamOut can start removing spam emails, you need to add at least one email account to monitor. Here's how:

 

1. Click the envelope icon in the menu bar.

2. Select "Preferences" from the menu.

3. You'll see several tabs at the top. Make sure you're on the "Mailboxes" tab (the first one).

4. Click the "Add New Mailbox" button.

5. Fill in the following information:

   - Name: Give your mailbox a friendly name (for example, "Work Email" or "Personal Gmail")

   - Server: Enter your email server address. Common examples:

     * Gmail: imap.gmail.com

     * Outlook: outlook.office365.com

     * iCloud: imap.mail.me.com

   - Port: Usually 993 for SSL connections (most email providers use this)

   - Username: Your full email address

   - Password: Your email account password

   - Use SSL: This should be turned ON (enabled) for security. Most email providers require this.

   - Check every: Choose how often SpamOut should check for spam. Common choices are 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or 1 hour.

   - Status: Make sure this is enabled (ON) so the mailbox will be monitored.

6. Click "Test Connection" to verify your settings are correct.

7. If the test is successful, click "Add" to save your mailbox.

 

Configuring Spam Filters

 

SpamOut uses two types of filters to identify spam emails: subject keywords and blocked senders. You can use either or both methods.

 

Subject Keywords

These are words or phrases that appear in email subject lines. Any email with these keywords will be automatically deleted.

 

To add keywords:

1. Click on the "Filters" tab in Preferences.

2. Make sure "Subject Keywords" is selected at the top.

3. Type a keyword in the text field (for example, "viagra" or "lottery winner").

4. Click "Add" or press Return.

5. Repeat for as many keywords as you want.

 

You can also import keywords from a CSV file, export your list, or clear all keywords using the buttons at the top.

 

Blocked Senders

These are specific email addresses that you want to block. Any email from these addresses will be automatically deleted.

 

To add blocked senders:

1. Click on the "Filters" tab in Preferences.

2. Select "Blocked Senders" at the top.

3. Type an email address in the text field (for example, "spam@example.com").

4. Click "Add" or press Return.

5. Repeat for as many email addresses as you want.

 

You can search through your list of blocked senders, import from a CSV file, export your list, or clear all senders using the buttons at the top.

 

Checking Status and Activity

 

The "Status" tab shows you important information about SpamOut's operation:

- Monitoring Status: Shows whether SpamOut is actively monitoring your mailboxes

- Statistics: Displays how many mailboxes, keywords, and blocked senders you have configured

- Last Check Time: Shows when SpamOut last checked your emails

 

You can start or stop monitoring from this tab using the "Start" or "Stop" button.

 

Viewing Activity Logs

 

The "Log" tab keeps a record of everything SpamOut does:

- When it checks your mailboxes

- How many spam emails were found and deleted

- Any errors that occurred

- General activity information

 

You can filter the log by level (All, Info, Warning, Error) to see only the information you're interested in. Use "Clear Log" to remove old entries.

 

Options and Settings

 

The "Options" tab contains additional settings:

 

Target Settings

- "Also check Spam folders": If enabled, SpamOut will check your email provider's spam folder in addition to your inbox.

- "Use UTF-8 search": Enable this for better support of non-English keywords and characters.

 

Security

- "Enable password": You can set a password to protect access to SpamOut preferences. When enabled, you'll need to enter this password whenever you open Preferences.

 

Other Settings

- "Start at login": If enabled, SpamOut will automatically start when you log in to your Mac.

 

Tips for Best Results

 

1. Start with a few keywords or blocked senders and add more as you identify spam patterns.

2. Use specific keywords that are common in spam emails you receive.

3. Check your Log tab regularly to see what SpamOut is doing.

4. Test your mailbox connection before adding it to make sure the settings are correct.

5. Be careful with keywords - make sure they won't accidentally match legitimate emails you want to keep.