How to Find Spam Filter Allow and Block Settings in Exchange Admin Center
Question details
The user needs to locate the settings for allowlisting domains and users, which have been moved in the new Microsoft Exchange Admin Center.
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Configuring email security and managing spam filters to allow or block specific senders for an organization.
- Observed behavior
- The familiar settings for managing allowed and blocked domains and users are no longer visible in the new Exchange Admin Center interface.
Ensure you have the appropriate administrator credentials (such as Global Admin or Security Admin roles) to access the Microsoft Defender or Security and Compliance portal.
Locate Spam Filter Policies in Microsoft Defender / Security and Compliance Portal
Microsoft has moved anti-spam policy management to the dedicated Microsoft Defender and Security and Compliance portals.
In modern Microsoft 365 environments, security settings have been centralized. You must use the Security and Compliance portal to manage inbound and outbound spam filters instead of the standard Exchange Admin Center.
Open your web browser and navigate to the Microsoft Defender or Security and Compliance portal, then log in using your administrator credentials.
On the left-hand navigation pane, locate and click on 'Threat management', then select 'Policy' from the expanded menu.
Click on 'Anti-spam' to view the list of available inbound and outbound spam filter policies for your organization.
Select an existing policy to edit it, or create a new policy to specify allowed and blocked domains or specific email addresses.
Create a Mail Flow Rule for Wildcard Domains
Since wildcard domains cannot be used directly in standard anti-spam policies, creating a mail flow rule to bypass spam filtering is the recommended alternative.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Microsoft remove spam filter settings from the Exchange Admin Center?
Microsoft centralized security and threat management to streamline administration. Advanced security features, including spam filters, were migrated to the Microsoft Defender and Security and Compliance portals to provide a unified security dashboard.
Can I block a wildcard domain directly in the new anti-spam policies?
No, wildcard domains are generally not supported directly in the Microsoft Defender anti-spam policy settings. If you need wildcard support, you should create a Mail Flow rule in the Exchange Admin Center to manage those specific messages.
Who has permission to change anti-spam policies in the Security portal?
Only users who have been assigned specific administrator roles, such as Global Administrator or Security Administrator in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), have the required permissions to view and edit these security policies.
