How to Block Spam With cPanel Spam Filters and Email Filters

How spam scoring works

Every incoming email gets a spam score based on hundreds of tests (suspicious words, blacklisted senders, missing authentication, odd formatting). The higher the score, the more likely it is spam. You choose the score at which mail is treated as spam.

Step 1: Turn on spam filtering

1. In cPanel, go to Email → Spam Filters.
2. Make sure Process New Emails and Mark them as Spam is On (enabled by default on most accounts).
3. Turn Move New Spam to a Separate Folder (Spam Box) On — spam goes to a spam folder instead of your inbox.

Step 2: Choose the threshold

Threshold	Effect
8–10	Lenient — very little legitimate mail caught; more spam gets through
5 (default)	Balanced — recommended starting point
3–4	Strict — catches more spam, but some genuine emails may land in the Spam folder
1–2	Very strict — not recommended for business mail

Start at 5. If plenty of spam still reaches your inbox after a week, try 4.

Step 3: Auto-delete (optional, careful)

Automatically Delete New Spam permanently deletes mail scoring at or above its own threshold (set it high, e.g. 10, so only obvious spam is deleted). Never auto-delete at a low score — you could lose customer emails without knowing.

Step 4: Whitelist important senders

Banks, KRA, your suppliers or clients sometimes trigger spam rules. Under Show Additional Configurations → Edit Spam Whitelist (Always allow), add:

• a full address: notifications@yourbank.co.ke
• a whole domain: *@kra.go.ke

Step 5: Blacklist persistent senders

Under Edit Spam Blacklist (Always mark as spam) add addresses or domains that keep sending junk, e.g. *@spammy-marketing.example.

Step 6: Email Filters for specific rules

For more control — like deleting anything with a certain subject — use Email → Email Filters (one mailbox) or Global Email Filters (all mailboxes).

1. Choose the mailbox → Create a New Filter.
2. Rules: e.g. Subject — contains — crypto investment.
3. Actions: Discard Message, Redirect to Email, or Deliver to Folder (e.g. Junk).
4. Create. Use Test Filter with a sample message first.

Step 7: Check the Spam folder regularly

Look in the spam folder (webmail → spam or Junk) once a day at first. Move any genuine email back to the inbox and whitelist the sender.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Fix
Genuine emails in Spam folder	Threshold too strict, or sender poorly configured	Raise threshold by 1; whitelist sender
Still lots of spam in inbox	Filtering off or threshold too high	Turn on processing; lower to 4
Spam folder not visible in phone app	Folder not subscribed	Subscribe to spam folder in the app or webmail
Spam appears to come from your own address	Spoofing	Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC — see SPF, DKIM, DMARC

Frequently asked questions

Is spam filtering included? Yes, on all plans at no extra cost.

Does filtering slow down email? No — scoring takes a fraction of a second.