What is Whitelisting? How do I add email addresses to my safe senders list in my email client (or my security software)? Whitelisting is specifically allowing emails from a certain source, such as Benchmark Email, to be allowed into your email inbox.

Adding such trusted email addresses to your whitelist so that they can pass easily through your spam filter or junk folder varies across the different email clients and internet security platforms.

AOL 7.0 & 8.0
  1. From the Menu, select Mail.
  2. Click Mail Controls.
  3. On the Mail Control window, click Next.
  4. Select Customize Mail Controls for this Screen Name. Click Next.
  5. You will be presented with two options.
    Option 1: Allow e-mail from all AOL members, e-mail addresses, and domains.
    Option 2: Allow e-mail from all AOL members, and from the listed domains and e-mail addresses. Block e-mail from all others.
  6. Choose Option 2. Type the trusted address into the space provided and click Add.
  7. Click Next and select Allow this Screen Name to send and receive mail with pictures and files.
  8. Click Save.
AOL 9.0 and Up
  1. Go to Mail menu and click Mail Center.
  2. Go to Mail Preferences and click Customize your e-mail. Click Next.
  3. Go to Essentials and click Spam Controls. Click Next.
  4. Check Mail Filtered by AOL's Advanced Spam Filter on the right panel.
  5. Uncheck (turn off) Mail with clickable Hyperlinks (URLs) and Mail containing words and phrases on my Custom Word List (you may have to uncheck Block mail containing pictures or files to properly see Benchmark's newsletters).
  6. On the left panel, select Use a Custom Sender List
  7. Enter trusted addresses and domains in the space provided. Be thorough with your list or your friends, family, coworkers, etc. will be redirected to your junk mail.
  8. On the Custom Sender List, click Save.
  9. On the Mail and Spam Controls window, click Save to Apply these Mail Controls

AT&T Webmail and BellSouth

  1. In your mailbox, click Options.
  2. Go to Mail Options, select Filters. Click Add Filter.
  3. Go to From Header and select Contains. Enter the trusted address or domain (email or website) in the box provided.
  4. Go to the drop down menu at the bottom with the option Move the message to. Select Inbox.
  5. Click Add Filter

Comcast SmartZone

  1. Click Address Book
  2. Click New. Select New Contact
  3. Add email address.
  4. Click Save

Cox Email

  1. Click Preferences.
  2. Go to General Email Preferences and click Blocked Senders.
  3. Type address or domain to add to the Exceptions list.
  4. Click Add. Click Save.

Gmail

  1. On the left of the screen under Mail, click Contacts.
  2. Select either New Contact on the left of the screen under Tasks or Add to "My Contacts" at the top of your screen under Search Contacts.
  3. If you clicked on New Contact, enter the address and/or URL and click Add. If you clicked Add to My Contacts, type the address or URL and press Enter.

Hotmail

  1. Select Options from your top menu.
  2. Click Mail. Go to Junk E-Mail Protection and select Junk E-Mail Filter.
  3. Select Enhanced and click OK.
  4. Click Safe List and type the trusted address or domain in the space provided.
  5. Click Add button.

MSN

  1. Click on Help & Settings
  2. Click Email Settings
  3. Click on Safe List
  4. In Add an item to this list, type the specific email address or use @xxxx.com to whitelist the domain (note: xxxx has to be replaced with the domain)
  5. Click Add

Outlook 2003 - 2007

  1. Go to Actions in your toolbar and select Junk E-mail.
  2. Go to Junk E-mail Options and click the Safe Sender tab.
  3. Click Add and type in the trusted address (you can also choose to select Add Sender's Domain).
  4. Click OK.

Verizon

  1. Go to Options and select Block Senders.
  2. In the Safe List, type your trusted address or domain.
  3. Click OK.
Yahoo!
  1. Open your Yahoo! mailbox
  2. Go to Options and click on Filters.
  3. Under Mobile Device User, click Add.
  4. In Filter Name type Benchmark Email
  5. In the top row, labeled "From Header" make sure contains is selected in the pull-down menu.
  6. Click in the text box next to that pull-down menu, then enter the specific email address or use @xxxx.com to whitelist the domain (note: xxxx has to be replaced with the domain)
  7. At the bottom, where it says 'Move the message to:', select 'Inbox' from the pull-down menu.
  8. Click on the Add Filter button again.