After planning a coastal holiday, Susan subscribed to travel deals and weather alerts. Months later, the daily emails keep coming, long after she’s unpacked her suitcase. It feels like spam, but it’s not. It’s graymail.
We all get emails we don’t want, but not all of them are spam. Some began as helpful updates but no longer serve a purpose. Others are completely unsolicited and potentially risky. Understanding the difference between graymail and spam can help you clean up your inbox and avoid falling for scams.
What is graymail?
Graymail refers to emails you agreed to receive but no longer find useful or relevant. These might have been helpful once, but now they feel like clutter.
They could include:
- Nina’s Knitting Newsletter you signed up for during lockdown;
- Updates from your local garden club after one workshop; or
- Sale reminders from a store you bought from at Christmas.
You’re still receiving these because you gave permission, but that doesn’t mean you want them forever.
In fact, Microsoft found that 75 per cent of emails that users marked as spam were misclassified – they were graymail, not spam. Namely, messages such as newsletters, offers, or account alerts that people had signed up for but no longer wanted.
Real-life examples of graymail
Robert signed up for DIY tips from a home improvement store while doing a renovation. Now the project’s done, he doesn’t want the emails arriving each week. He feels like they’re spam emails, but they’re not, they’re graymail.
Sasha entered a prize draw at a local market and ticked a box for updates. She didn’t win the prize and she’s still getting these graymail emails from the organiser even though she hasn’t opened one in months.
What is spam?
Spam emails are unsolicited messages, often sent in bulk to people who never asked for them, and they usually come with a hidden agenda. They might be trying to sell you something, steal your personal details, or trick you into clicking a dodgy link.
Spam often tries to get you to take action urgently, such as clicking a link, replying, visiting a website, and/or paying now. These messages typically use pressure tactics, such as ,“do this now so your account is not terminated”, to make you act without thinking. Recognising these signs can help you stay safe.
To help you spot spam more easily, here are five signs to watch for:
| Sign | Example |
|---|---|
| 1. You don’t recognise the sender or company | You receive an email from a brand you’ve never interacted with |
| 2. Generic greetings | “Dear Customer” or just “Hi” with no personal details |
| 3. Spelling and grammar mistakes | “Your acount has been teminated. Click hear.” |
| 4. Too good to be true offers | “Get unlimited movies, better than Netflix, before the month ends!” |
| 5. Unsolicited unsubscribe traps | Clicking ‘unsubscribe’ confirms your email is active and triggers more spam |
Real-life examples of spam
Carol keeps getting monthly promotional emails from a shop she’s never bought from and never signed up to. Someone may have shared or sold her email address.
Geoff got an email telling him his online banking access was suspended and he needed to sign in urgently to fix it. The email didn’t use his name, and the sender’s address was strange. He deleted it and reported it as spam.
Graymail vs spam: what’s the difference?
Both messages clutter your inbox, but one is risky and the other is simply outdated. The key difference is consent. Graymail was once welcome, but spam never was.
| Detail | Graymail | Spam |
|---|---|---|
| You signed up for it? | Yes | No |
| Risk level | Generally safe | Can be dangerous or misleading |
| Greeting style | Typically includes your name | Generic (“Dear Customer”) |
| Common examples | Newsletters, promotional offers | Scams, fake prizes, and phishing attempts |
| What to do | Unsubscribe or filter | Report and delete |
According to Microsoft, three out of four emails that users reported as spam were actually graymail — messages that were once legitimate but are no longer wanted.
What should you do about graymail?
- If you signed up for the email originally, look for the “Unsubscribe” link at the top and/or bottom of the email.
- Take some time now and then to clear out subscriptions you no longer read.
- If managing your inbox feels overwhelming, ask a family member or friend to assist.
What should you do about spam?
- Use your email provider’s “Report Spam” or “Report Junk” button. Over time, this helps train spam filters to block similar emails. Then, delete the email immediately (if reporting it did not already remove it from your inbox).
- Never click links or download attachments.
- Don’t reply to the message or follow any of its instructions.
- If in doubt, go directly to the organisation’s official website (don’t use a link in the email).
Remember
Graymail is not harmful, just outdated. Understanding the difference between graymail and spam puts you in control of your inbox. It helps you stay safer, reduce distractions, and focus on what matters.
Like Susan, Robert, and their friends, most of us deal with inbox overload from time to time. But with a few small habits, and a some regular inbox housekeeping, your inbox can be a much calmer place.