Source: https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/correct-result
Last updated: 2026-10-08

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# Correct a Wrong Result

When SpamFoo misses a spam message, marks a message you wanted as spam, or puts a message in the wrong Email Classification, tell it. Your correction helps SpamFoo handle mail like it better next time.

## Ways to Correct SpamFoo

- **In your mail app:** If your mail runs on SmarterMail, marking a message as spam or not spam, or moving it to a different classification, in webmail sends the correction to SpamFoo for you. See [What SmarterMail Users See](https://help.spamfoo.com/integrations/smartermail/users).
- **In the SpamFoo Dashboard:** Report the message from **My Messages** or the **Recent Messages** card on your Overview. The steps are below.

## Report a Message in the Dashboard

1. Open the SpamFoo Dashboard and go to **My Email > My Messages**.
2. Find the message. The **Classification** column shows where SpamFoo put it. Filters can help. See [Filter Messages](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/my-messages#filter-messages).
3. Right-click the message and choose **Report Misclassification**. You can also click the message and then click **Report Misclassification** in the details panel.
4. In the **Report to SpamFoo** window, under **Report this message as**, choose the right result. See [Choose the Right Result](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/correct-result#which-result).
5. Click **Report**.

The window shows the message's **Current Classification**, such as **Spam**, **Phishing**, **Not Spam**, or a classification. That choice is marked **(current)** and can't be picked.

### Choose the Right Result

- **Spam that got through:** Choose **Spam**.
- **Phishing that got through:** Choose **Phishing** for a fake message that tries to trick you into giving up a password, money, or personal details. SpamFoo treats it as spam for your mailbox and tells SpamFoo it was phishing, which helps improve the phishing checks.
- **A message wrongly marked as spam or phishing:** Choose **Not Spam**, or choose the classification it belongs in. Either one tells SpamFoo the message isn't spam.
- **A message in the wrong classification:** Choose **Primary**, **Transactions**, **Updates**, or **Promotions**. See [The Four Email Classifications](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/how-classification-works#classifications).

## What Happens Next

When you see **Message reported to SpamFoo**, SpamFoo has done two things:

- **It learns your choice for your mailbox.** SpamFoo saves the correction on your mail server. Similar mail from the same sender follows your choice from then on, and very similar mail from other senders can too. Different kinds of mail from that sender are still handled on their own. If a sender's receipts and newsletters both land in the wrong place, correct one of each.
- **It sends the correction to SpamFoo.** SpamFoo uses corrections from many servers to improve its models for everyone. If your administrator turned on content sharing, a sanitized copy of the message text is sent too. See [Sharing Message Content](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/corrections#sharing-content).

> **Tip** If you always want a sender's mail marked as **Spam** or **Not Spam**, add a spam rule for that sender. A rule decides every time, while a correction only teaches SpamFoo. See [Add a Spam Rule](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/my-rules#add-spam-rule).

Some things don't change:

- The message stays where it is in your mailbox. Move it in your mail app if you want to.
- The message keeps its original result in **My Messages**. The menu now shows **Reported to SpamFoo** instead of **Report Misclassification**.

To change your answer, click **Reported to SpamFoo** and report a different result. To remove what SpamFoo learned, see [Undo a Correction](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/correct-result#undo).

## Other Results You May See

| Message | What It Means |
| --- | --- |
| **No report was sent because the SpamFoo model already classifies this message that way** | SpamFoo's models already agree with you, so a report would teach them nothing. Something else decided this message. The message often starts with what that was, such as a spam rule or the sender's reputation, and what to do about it. |
| **Your correction was saved for this mailbox** | Appears with the message above. No report was sent, but SpamFoo still learned your choice for your mailbox. |
| **No report was sent because the message is already classified that way** | The message already has the result you picked. |
| **This correction has already been reported** | You already reported this message with the same result. |
| **Too many reports from this mailbox in the last hour** | Each mailbox can send a limited number of reports per hour. Wait and try again later. |

## Always Allow or Always Block a Sender

A correction teaches SpamFoo, but it doesn't promise the same result every time. To always treat a sender one way, create a spam rule. See [Add a Spam Rule](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/my-rules#add-spam-rule). Spam rules only decide spam or not spam. No rule always puts a sender in one classification.

## Review What SpamFoo Learned

Go to **My Email > My Rules**. What SpamFoo learned from your corrections is listed under **Trained Rules**. Each row shows:

- **Applies To Emails From:** the sender, or a description such as **Emails that look like one you sorted**.
- **Result:** **Spam** or **Not Spam**, or a classification such as **Promotions**.
- **Training Method:** **Manual** or **Automatic**. See [Trained Rules](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/my-rules#trained-rules).
- **Times used:** how many times the rule has matched since it was created.

## Undo a Correction

1. Go to **My Email > My Rules**.
2. Under **Trained Rules**, find the row.
3. Right-click the row and choose **Delete**, or click the row and then click **Delete**.
4. Click **Delete** to confirm.

SpamFoo stops using what it learned for that mail in your mailbox. This doesn't take back a report that was already sent to SpamFoo.

## Troubleshooting

### Report Misclassification Is Missing

**Cause:** You already reported this message.

**Fix:** Look for **Reported to SpamFoo** instead. Click it to report a different result. If it's grayed out, SpamFoo no longer has the details it needs to report this message again.

**Cause:** SpamFoo no longer has the details it needs to report this message, or your server isn't set up to send reports.

**Fix:** Correct the message in your mail app instead, or create a spam rule for the sender. If no message offers the option, ask your administrator.

### New Messages Are Still Wrong After a Correction

**Cause:** A spam rule from you or an administrator decided whether those messages were spam. Rules come before what SpamFoo learns from you.

**Fix:** Check **My Rules** for a rule that matches the sender. **Set By** shows whether the rule is yours or an administrator's. If an administrator's rule matches, ask your administrator to change it.

**Cause:** The new messages are too different from the one you corrected.

**Fix:** Correct a few more of them, or create a spam rule for the sender.