This article will demonstrate how to create a filter in Gmail that will always allow emails from a particular sender or domain, either from scratch or by modifying an existing message similar to the ones you want to allow.
Utilize Filters and Blocked Addresses
To allow access to a specific email address or domain, you must create an email filter.
- Log into Gmail. Select the Settings (gear) icon in the upper-right corner. Select Settings from the menu.
- Navigate to the Filters and Blocked Addresses section.
- Select Initiate the creation of a new filter. If you already have a large number of filters, you may need to scroll down to locate this link.
- A dialog box is displayed. Type the email address you wish to allow in the From field. Make certain to type the entire email address, for example, [email protected]. To allow all email addresses from a specific domain, enter only that domain’s name, for example, @yahoo.com.
- Select Create filter at the bottom of the dialog box.
- On the following screen, instruct Gmail on how to handle the email address or domain you just specified. To do so, check the box labeled Never send it to Spam. Select Create filter to complete the process.
- If you wish to allow multiple email addresses or domains, you do not need to repeat these steps. Rather than that, insert a vertical bar (along with a space before and after it) between the individual accounts, as follows: [email protected] | [email protected] | @example2.com.
Start with an Email Message
Additionally, you can initiate the process of creating an email filter in Gmail by opening a message from the person whose email address you wish to add to the allowed list.
- To begin, open the message.
- In the message’s upper-right corner, click the three-dot (menu) icon. Select Messages in this format should be filtered.
- With the From field now auto-filled with your email address, repeat steps 5 and 6 above.
Additional Tips for Gmail Filtering
Keep the following points in mind when creating filters in Gmail.
- When you add an email address or domain to Gmail, the filter does not take effect for previously received messages. It begins working immediately after you enable it.
- If you’re considering allowing an entire domain, consider the ramifications. If you allow @gmail.com, for example, every email sent from a Gmail.com address will be routed to the Spam folder. Nonetheless, there is a chance that some messages from @gmail.com addresses will be delivered there. Allowing a business with whom you do business makes more sense when messages from individuals at that company frequently end up in your Spam folder for whatever reason.
- Another method of indicating that an email is not spam is to use the Not spam button. This button, however, is visible only when a message is opened from the Spam folder. In other words, you cannot use this method to prevent messages from being marked as spam in the first place.