You may receive suspicious emails in your Outlook mobile app that look like phishing attempts. These messages often try to steal your login details or personal information. The Outlook mobile app has a built-in feature to report these threats directly to Microsoft. This article explains the steps to report a phishing email and how this action helps protect your account.
Key Takeaways: Reporting Phishing in Outlook Mobile
- Three-dot menu > Report Message: This is the primary method to flag a suspicious email as phishing or junk from your inbox.
- Microsoft Defender for Office 365: Your report helps train Microsoft’s security filters to block similar threats for all users.
- Message Removal: After reporting, the email is automatically moved to your Junk Email folder and deleted from your inbox.
Understanding the Outlook Mobile Reporting Feature
The Report Message feature in the Outlook mobile app is a security tool. It allows you to send a copy of a suspicious email to Microsoft for analysis. This is different from simply deleting an email or marking it as junk locally on your device.
When you report a message as phishing, it is forwarded to Microsoft’s security team. They examine the email’s content, links, and sender information. This data is used to improve automated detection systems like Microsoft Defender for Office 365. Your action helps protect not only your own account but also others in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Before using this feature, ensure your Outlook app is updated to the latest version from your device’s app store. You need an active internet connection to send the report. The feature works with most account types, including Microsoft 365, Outlook.com, and connected accounts like Gmail.
Steps to Report a Phishing Email
Follow these steps to report a suspicious email directly from your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.
- Open the suspicious email
Launch the Outlook app and tap on the phishing email in your inbox to open it fully. - Tap the three-dot menu
In the top-right corner of the email view, tap the three-dot icon to open the action menu. - Select Report Message
Scroll through the menu and tap the option labeled “Report Message.” A sub-menu will appear. - Choose Phishing
From the sub-menu, select “Phishing.” This tells Microsoft the email is a malicious attempt to steal information. You can also select “Junk” for less dangerous spam. - Confirm the action
The app will process your report. The email will immediately be moved from your inbox to the Junk Email folder.
Common Mistakes and Limitations
Reporting Legitimate Emails by Mistake
If you accidentally report a safe email, you can recover it. Go to the Junk Email folder within the Outlook app. Open the email and use the three-dot menu to select “Not Junk.” This moves it back to your inbox and sends a correction to Microsoft.
The Report Message Option Is Missing
If you do not see the Report Message option, your organization’s IT admin may have disabled it. This is common with some corporate Microsoft 365 setups where security reporting is managed centrally. Contact your help desk for guidance on how to report phishing in that case.
Reporting Does Not Block the Sender
Reporting an email as phishing does not automatically block the sender’s address. To block future emails from that sender, you must use a separate action. Open the email, tap the three-dot menu, and select “Block Sender.”
Reporting Phishing vs. Other Junk Actions
| Item | Report as Phishing | Mark as Junk | Block Sender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Report malicious credential-stealing attempts to Microsoft security | Move unwanted commercial spam to your Junk folder | Prevent future emails from a specific address from reaching your inbox |
| Data Sent to Microsoft | Yes, for security analysis | Yes, to improve spam filters | No, action is local to your account |
| Email Destination | Moved to Junk Email folder | Moved to Junk Email folder | Future emails go directly to Junk folder |
| Impact on Other Users | Helps protect all Microsoft 365 users | Improves spam detection over time | Only affects your personal mailbox |
You can now identify and report phishing emails directly from your phone. Use the three-dot menu and Report Message feature to remove threats quickly. For advanced security, enable the “Report Phishing Add-in” in the desktop version of Outlook for consistent reporting across devices. Regularly checking your Junk folder ensures no legitimate emails were misplaced after your reports.