How to Whitelist an Email Sender or Domain in Yahoo! Mail

Nothing can be more frustrating than missing important emails because they go to your spam folder. But there are ways to manage your email to avoid such issues, such as "whitelisting" those emails you don't want to miss. 

The Function of Whitelisting

Technically, a whitelist is a compilation of people or entities who are special in some way. They rise above the crowd, and they may receive special perks and benefits. It's the opposite of "blacklist," which means that an individual or entity has been banned, otherwise excommunicated – or relegated to your spam folder. 

You can whitelist specific senders of emails or even an entire domain name if you want to ensure that they effectively rise to the top of your email box – or at least that they make it to your inbox and aren't relegated to the blacklist of your spam folder. Here's how to do it in Yahoo! Mail so you can be sure you get your important emails, updates and more.

Whitelist Existing Emails in Yahoo! Mail

You can whitelist email senders in Yahoo! Mail in two different ways. First, check your Yahoo! Bulk folder. If you see an email in there from someone you want to add to your whitelist, simply highlight it and select the Not Spam icon. Future emails from this person or entity should now automatically go to your inbox. 

Of course, this only works after that individual has sent you an email that you can track down because it has been whisked away as spam. You can use a second option if you haven't yet received an email from the party you want to whitelist. 

Create a Filter 

You can create a filter to route emails from certain domains to your inbox automatically. Select Options at the top right of the navigation bar. Now select Mail Options from the list that drops down. Choose Filters from the list that next appears and select the Add button.

Now, choose the field you want to match in the incoming message you're expecting. For example, you might want to match something that you know will appear in the header or something that will appear in the To line. Choose the criterion by which you want the match to be made, such as that you want to snag anything that "contains" this phrase or word. Now, enter the text string you want to compare, such as "From Women in Business." Finally, choose the destination folder, which would be your inbox.

The first option is infinitely easier, so if you're on familiar terms with the sender of the email you want to make sure you receive, ask him to send a test or blank email in advance, so you can tell Yahoo! that it's not spammed with a single click. But if that's not an option, taking a few more steps should ensure that the email in question appears in your inbox.