- Open the Spam folder on a computer
- Why search didn't find your email
- Rescue a real email from Spam
- Stop good emails landing in Spam
- Read the warning before you trust it
- Clear out your Spam folder
- Report spam that gets through
- Common reasons real emails end up in Spam
- Check Spam regularly
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To find spam in Gmail on a computer, click More in the left-hand menu, then Spam, as Gmail has no folder called Junk. If a real email is in there, tick it and click Not spam. Normal searches skip Spam, so use advanced search to include it when you're hunting for a missing message.
The usual reason people go looking for Gmail's spam folder is an email that should have arrived and didn't: a supplier's reply, a password reset, a reply from a client. Gmail tucks Spam away under More, and its search doesn't look there by default, which is why things seem to vanish. Here's how to find it, rescue good emails, and stop it happening again.
Open the Spam folder on a computer
- Open Gmail.
- In the menu on the left, click More.
- Click Spam.
There's no folder called Junk in Gmail: Spam is it. If you use the Gmail app on your phone, open the menu and scroll down the list of labels to find Spam.
Why search didn't find your email
This catches almost everyone. Google's search help says a standard Gmail search doesn't include Spam or Trash. So if you search for an email and get nothing, it may still be sitting in Spam. Use Gmail's advanced search options and choose to include Spam and Trash, or simply open the Spam folder and look.
Rescue a real email from Spam
- Open Spam.
- Tick the box next to the email.
- Click Not spam at the top.
Google says that once you remove an email from Spam, future emails from that sender won't go there. One exception: if you've blocked the sender, Gmail keeps treating their messages as spam even after you rescue one, so unblock them if you want their emails back.
Stop good emails landing in Spam
| Fix | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Mark as Not spam | Gmail learns that sender is wanted |
| Add the sender to Google Contacts | Google says Gmail then stops sending their messages to Spam |
| Create a filter | Label their emails as important, or another action you choose |
For anyone important, a client, your accountant, your bank, adding them to your contacts is the most reliable fix.
Read the warning before you trust it
Every email in Spam carries a warning at the top explaining why Gmail put it there. Two to watch for, according to Google:
- Spoofed addresses: the address looks almost like a real sender's, for example with a zero in place of the letter O.
- Phishing: the email may be trying to get your password or card details.
If you see either, don't reply and don't click any links until you've checked the sender is who they claim to be. When in doubt, contact the company directly using details from its own website, not the email.
Clear out your Spam folder
To empty it, open Spam and click Delete all spam messages now, or select particular emails and click Delete forever. Glance through first if you're waiting on anything, because once it's deleted forever, it's gone.
Report spam that gets through
If junk lands in your inbox, select it and click Report spam. Google says it receives a copy of reported emails and may analyse them to protect users, and that Gmail gets better at catching similar messages the more you report. If you signed up for the emails and just don't want them any more, use Unsubscribe instead, which is fairer to legitimate senders.
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Common reasons real emails end up in Spam
Gmail's filters look at lots of signals, and good emails sometimes get caught. Newsletters you signed up for, automated messages like receipts or booking confirmations, and first emails from people you've never written to are the usual victims. Emails that look a lot like known scams, with an odd-looking sender address or urgent requests to click a link, are flagged on purpose. The warning at the top of each message in Spam tells you which reason applied. If it's someone you trust, rescue the email and add them to your contacts; if the warning mentions spoofing or phishing, leave it where it is.
Check Spam regularly
- Look in Spam once a week, especially if you're expecting enquiries or replies.
- Check it straight away when an expected email hasn't arrived.
- Teach Gmail with Not spam and Report spam, rather than ignoring the folder.
- Tell new clients or suppliers to check their own spam folder for your first email, and to add you to their contacts.
If you send emails yourself and worry they're landing in other people's spam, my guide to email verification tools explains how cleaner lists help, and business email attacks covers the phishing tricks Gmail's warnings are trying to protect you from.
My verdict
Spam lives under More in Gmail's left-hand menu. Search won't look there unless you ask it to, so check the folder when something's missing, rescue real emails with Not spam, and add important senders to your contacts so it doesn't happen again. Take the warnings seriously before clicking anything, because the Spam folder is where Gmail parks the emails most likely to be scams.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the spam folder in Gmail?
On a computer, click More in the left-hand menu, then Spam. Gmail doesn't have a folder called Junk.
Why can't I find an email in Gmail search?
Google says standard searches don't include Spam or Trash. Use advanced search to include them, or check the Spam folder.
How do I move an email out of spam in Gmail?
Open Spam, tick the email and click Not spam. Future emails from that sender won't go to Spam.
How do I stop emails going to spam in Gmail?
Mark them as Not spam, add the sender to Google Contacts, or create a filter for their emails.
How do I empty the spam folder in Gmail?
Open Spam and click Delete all spam messages now, or select emails and click Delete forever.
