Email Security: Viewing Quarantined Email

Summary

This article provides instructions on how to view your quarantined email and includes an overview of the quarantine process. 

 

Content

The Quarantine section in the Security & Compliance Center holds potentially dangerous or unwanted messages online where you can review them.

Note: Messages that were quarantined as high confidence phishing, malware, or by mail flow rules can only be managed by administrators.

You will receive an email notification From: quarantine@messaging.microsoft.com with Subject: Microsoft 365 security: You have messages in quarantine containing the following information for each quarantined message:

  • Sender: The send name and email address of the quarantined message.
  • Subject: The subject line text of the quarantined message.
  • Date: The date and time (in UTC) that the message was quarantined.

And action links at the bottom that may or may not be available for each particular message:

  • Block Sender: Click this link to add the sender to the Blocked Senders list. For more information, see Email Security: Managing Junk Email Settings in Outlook on the Web
  • Release: For spam (not phish) messages, you can release the message from your notification email without going to Quarantine in the Security & Compliance Center.
  • Review Message: Click this link to go to Quarantine in the Security & Compliance Center, where you can preview, delete, release, or request release of your quarantined messages. 

Sample "You have messages in quarantine" notification email from Microsoft 365 Security - Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)Click for full-size image

 

How-To

Task: View and Act on messages in the Quarantine Email list

When you receive messages from Microsoft 365 security saying you "have messages in quarantine" there will be links within the email for you to respond. If those links do not work or if you want to check on your quarantined messages at some other time, use these steps.

Instructions

Step 1 - Open a web browser and go to https://security.microsoft.com/quarantine  

Note: If a link doesn't work at first, try a private browser or a new browser window, or clearing your browsers' cache 

Step 2 - A list of quarantined email messages is displayed.

  • If an email you believe to be quarantined does not show within your quarantine list, it may be found in your Junk folder.
  • If it is not found within quarantined or junk mail, it is possible that the Focused Inbox feature has sorted it out and that it is under the Other section.

Sample Quarantine list - Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)Click for full-size image

 

Step 3 - Check the box next to any message in the list of quarantined email messages,.

Step 4 - Click the desired action link at the top of the list. Link availability depends on the details of the selected message. You always have the option to Delete or Preview messages.

For example, this Spam message has an option to Release the message, 

Sample Spam message in the Quarantine list - Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)Click for full-size image

 

but this High Confidence Phish does not.  It has the option to Request release which will then be reviewed by a USNH security admin and released if found safe.

Sample High Confidence Phish message in the Quarantine list - Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)Click for full-size image

 

Outcome

You are able to view and act on your quarantined email messages. 

 

Further Readings

Email Security: Managing Junk Email Settings in Outlook on the Web 

Email Security: Abnormal Message Digest FAQ

Block a mail sender in Outlook  - Microsoft article, applies to Outlook Desktop App for Windows

 

Need additional help?

Submit an Email Services support request with as much detail as possible, or visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request.  For password issues you must call or visit the Help Desk in person.  

For assistance concerning site creation, content sharing, file synchronization, or other common SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, or Office app activities, we recommend our Microsoft 365 Learning sites:

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