Summary
The consensus from marketers, documentation, and experts is that simply moving an email to the junk folder in Apple Mail does *not* directly result in a Feedback Loop (FBL) complaint. FBLs are triggered when users explicitly mark a message as spam by clicking a 'Report Spam' or similar button. While moving an email to junk helps Apple Mail learn and refine its spam filtering, it serves as a negative signal for deliverability and sender reputation, but doesn't initiate the formal FBL process.
Key findings
- FBL Activation: FBLs are activated by explicit user spam reports (e.g., clicking 'Report Spam'), not automatic junking.
- Negative Deliverability Signal: Moving to junk is a negative signal that can harm future deliverability, though it's not a formal complaint.
- Spam Filter Learning: Junk folder actions help Apple Mail learn and refine its spam filtering algorithms.
- Explicit vs. Implicit: The key is the *explicit* action of reporting spam, as opposed to the *implicit* action of moving an email.
Key considerations
- Educate Users: Educate users about the importance of reporting spam using the correct mechanisms.
- Monitor Reputation: Continuously monitor sender reputation and engagement metrics for deliverability health.
- FBL Implementation: Implement and actively monitor FBLs to promptly address user-reported spam complaints.
- Deliverability Strategy: Develop a deliverability strategy that accounts for both explicit complaints and implicit signals like junk folder placement.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Moving an email to the junk folder in Apple Mail does not directly trigger a Feedback Loop (FBL) complaint. FBLs are initiated when a user explicitly marks an email as spam using the 'Report Junk' or 'Report Spam' button, which sends a complaint to the sender and provides data to Apple for improving its spam filters. Moving to junk is a negative signal to mailbox providers and can impact future deliverability but doesn't generate a formal FBL complaint.
Key opinions
- FBL Trigger: FBLs are triggered by explicit spam reports (e.g., clicking a 'Report Spam' button), not by simply moving an email to the junk folder.
- Negative Signal: Moving to junk signals to email providers that the message is unwanted, potentially affecting future deliverability.
- User Action: A specific user action of reporting spam is necessary for generating an FBL complaint.
- Sender Reputation: Repeatedly having emails moved to the junk folder can negatively impact sender reputation.
Key considerations
- User Education: Encourage users to use the 'Report Spam' button for accurate feedback and FBL generation.
- Monitor Engagement: Monitor engagement metrics and junk folder placement rates as indicators of email quality.
- Deliverability Impact: Understand that while moving to junk doesn't directly cause FBLs, it still impacts deliverability over time.
- FBL Setup: Set up and monitor FBLs with ISPs to identify and remove users who mark emails as spam.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Return Path explains that moving an email to the junk folder is a negative signal to mailbox providers, indicating that the email is unwanted. While it may not trigger an immediate FBL complaint, it can contribute to future deliverability issues if enough users take this action. FBL complaints are only triggered by users clicking the spam button.
30 Jan 2024 - Return Path
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid describes the process of setting up feedback loops (FBLs) with various ISPs. FBLs are triggered when a user marks an email as spam, enabling senders to identify and remove these users from their lists. Simply moving an email to the junk folder does not initiate this process.
22 Apr 2024 - SendGrid
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts at Word to the Wise and Spam Resource emphasize that merely marking an email as 'junk' in Apple Mail differs significantly from issuing a spam complaint through a feedback loop (FBL). While Apple Mail utilizes its own algorithms to filter messages into spam folders, the explicit act of a user pressing the 'spam' button is what truly matters to mailbox providers and triggers the formal complaint process.
Key opinions
- Distinction: Marking an email as 'junk' is a different action than reporting it as spam via the 'spam' button.
- Algorithm: Apple Mail uses its own algorithms to automatically sort emails into spam folders.
- User Action: Pressing the 'spam' button is a deliberate user action that mailbox providers track more closely.
- Feedback Loop: Feedback loops rely on explicit spam reports from users, not automated junk folder placement.
Key considerations
- Training Algorithms: Users should be aware that manually marking emails as spam helps train Apple Mail's algorithms.
- Informed Reporting: Users should understand the difference between moving to junk and reporting as spam, and use the latter when appropriate.
- Deliverability Effects: Senders should be aware that while moving to junk doesn't directly trigger an FBL, it can still negatively impact deliverability.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that mail programs like Apple Mail have their own algorithms and they may move messages to a spam folder. The action of a user pressing the spam button is important for mailbox providers and is tracked more closely - not simply moving email into a junk folder.
4 Sep 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that a complaint feedback loop relies on end-users marking a message as spam. So simply marking email as 'junk' in Apple Mail, is not the same as providing a spam complaint.
23 Apr 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Official documentation from RFC Editor, Apple Support, SparkPost, Google Postmaster Tools, and M3AAWG consistently indicates that moving an email to the junk folder in Apple Mail does *not* automatically trigger a Feedback Loop (FBL) complaint. FBL reports are generated by users explicitly marking messages as spam, typically by clicking a 'Report Spam' button. While moving to junk helps train Apple Mail's spam filter, it doesn't initiate the formal feedback loop process used to notify senders of spam complaints.
Key findings
- Explicit Reporting: FBLs require explicit reporting of spam by users, such as clicking a 'Report Spam' button.
- Junk Folder Training: Moving emails to the junk folder primarily helps train Apple Mail's spam filter.
- Separate Signals: Marking an email as spam generates a different signal and report than moving it to the junk folder.
- Spam Rate Thresholds: Spam rate thresholds are based on user-reported spam, not junk folder placement.
Key considerations
- User Action Clarity: Understand that users need to actively report spam to trigger FBLs.
- Filter Training vs. Reporting: Distinguish between training the spam filter and generating a formal complaint.
- Monitor Spam Rates: Monitor spam rates based on user-reported spam to maintain good deliverability.
- Feedback Loop Implementation: Focus on implementing and monitoring feedback loops to address actual spam complaints.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools details spam rate thresholds that senders should monitor to avoid deliverability issues. These rates are based on user-reported spam, and this is from when users click the spam button, not when they drag an email to junk.
16 Dec 2022 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from M3AAWG specifies the importance of user complaints in email deliverability and how feedback loops function. A user marking email as spam generates a different signal and report compared to moving the email to junk.
21 Jun 2023 - M3AAWG
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