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Configuring Spam Scanning for MacOS X Mail

This handout is a comprehensive set of instructions to configure MacOS X Mail to filter spam e-mails.

Creating a Spam folder

  1. Click on the Mailbox menu at the top of the screen, then choose New Mailbox (See Figure 1)
    Figure 1. Mailbox menu
    Figure 1
  2. Enter Spam or any folder name of your choosing into the dialog and click OK (See Figure 2)
    Figure 2. Spam Folder Creation
    Figure 2
  3. You should now have a folder with whatever name you chose in your folder list

Please Note: Because SpamAssassin is unable to determine with 100% accuracy if a message is unsolicited, you will want to check your Spam folder frequently for legitimate e-mails, as well as to delete the actual spam

Creating a Spam filter

  1. Click on the Mail menu at the top of the screen, then choose Preferences (See Figure 3)
    Figure 3: Mail menu
    Figure 3
  2. Click on the Rules button, then click Add Rule (See Figure 4)
    Figure 4: Preferences window
    Figure 4
  3. In the Display box, type Spam as the name for the filter (See Figure 5)
  4. Click on the word From and select Edit Header List (See Figure 5)
    Figure 5: Filters configuration
    Figure 5
  5. Enter the text X-Probable-Spam into the Header: text box (See Figure 6)
    Figure 6: Headers
    Figure 6
  6. Click Add Header and then OK
  7. Set all options in this window as shown below (See Figure 7)
    Figure 7: Filters configuration
    Figure 7
  8. Click OK and then close the Rules window

Now you are setup for Spam filtering. If you have any problems, please call the BOL Help Desk at 310-825-7452.