How to Resolve a Blacklisted Hotmail or Outlook Email Address
Question details
The user needs to remove their Hotmail or Outlook email address from a spam blacklist after messages started being rejected.

- Product
- Microsoft Outlook / Hotmail
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A linked WordPress website or service was compromised, causing unauthorized emails to be sent from the user's Hotmail or Outlook address, resulting in the email address or IP being blacklisted.
- Observed behavior
- Legitimate messages sent from the Hotmail or Outlook address are rejected as spam or fail to deliver due to poor sender reputation.
Before requesting removal from any blacklist, thoroughly scan your devices for malware and ensure the underlying security breach on your WordPress site has been completely fixed.
Secure Your Account and Linked Services
Stop the unauthorized outgoing mail by cutting off access from compromised platforms and securing your email credentials.
If your email address is listed on a blacklist, it means spam is actively being sent from your account or IP. You must stop the source of the spam before a delisting request will be accepted.
Log into your compromised WordPress website (or other affected platforms) and remove your Hotmail or Outlook email address from the administrative and outgoing mail settings.
Navigate to the Microsoft account security page and change your Hotmail or Outlook password immediately to revoke access from unauthorized bots.
In your Microsoft account security settings, turn on Two-Step Verification to prevent future unauthorized logins.

Submit a Delisting Request to Spamhaus and Microsoft
Once your account is completely secure, contact reputation services to remove your email address or IP from their spam databases.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my Hotmail or Outlook address get blacklisted?
Your email address or IP was likely used to send unauthorized bulk emails or spam. This frequently happens if your account password is compromised or if a linked platform, such as a WordPress website, is hacked and hijacked to send unauthorized mail.
How long does it take for Spamhaus to delist an IP?
Delisting times can vary depending on the service. If the underlying spam issue has been completely fixed and your request is legitimate, the removal is typically processed within a few hours to a day.
Will changing my Microsoft password immediately remove me from the blacklist?
No. Changing your password secures your account and stops further spam from being sent, but you must still manually request delisting from IP reputation services like Spamhaus to restore your normal email delivery.




