Author: Jim Walker – The Hack Repair Guy | HackRepair.com
Why Email Blacklisting Matters in 2025
Email blacklisting is like being on a “no-fly list” for email servers — your emails get bounced, silently dumped, or land in spam. Whether you’ve been hacked or triggered a filter, this guide helps you get unblocked fast and stay that way.
I have written this for website owners, marketers, and support staff. You’ll learn how to identify blacklisting, fix the cause, delist safely, and prevent recurrence — even with no technical experience.
First: Confirm Whether You’ve Been Blacklisted
Enter your mail server’s IP or domain name. Then look for reasons and blacklist sources in the results.
Second: Since We Are On The Subject—Spring Cleaning Time!
- Have a website? Be sure to secure your websites (or ask me for help if you are short on time)
- Update plugins and themes (especially on WordPress)
- Add CAPTCHA to your website forms
- Remove dead or scraped emails from your mailing lists
- Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on all of your domains.
Third: How To Delist Instructions, by Email Provider
Email Provider | Delist Instructions |
---|---|
Microsoft 365 + Outlook | Step-by-Step Microsoft Delist Portal Recovery and Prevention Guide |
Yahoo Mail | Register at Yahoo Postmaster |
Gmail | Fix the root cause, then request a review via the form linked on this page |
AOL Mail | Submit a request through the Yahoo / AOL Sender Hub |
Comcast/Xfinity | Request Removal |
Hotmail, MSN, Live |
Email [email protected]
|
AT&T | Email [email protected] (see the Hotmail, MSN, Live notes above) |
Earthlink | Email [email protected] with subject: BLOCKED [your IP] (see the Hotmail, MSN, Live notes above) |
Verizon | Email [email protected] (see the Hotmail, MSN, Live notes above) |
GoDaddy (secureserver.net) | Use unblock.secureserver.net (see the Hotmail, MSN, Live notes above) |
Zoho, ProtonMail, Mail.com | These use third-party blocklists (e.g., Spamhaus), so you can’t request delisting from them directly. However, they do tend to clear on their own once action is taken. Clean your setup, wait 24–48 hours, and monitor via MXToolbox |
And The Don’t Forget Step: Prevent Future Blacklisting
- Use only verified opt-in email lists
- Check domain/IP reputation weekly
- Add CAPTCHA to public forms
- Warm up new sending IPs slowly
- Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are always valid
Need Help?
If you’re overwhelmed, call (619) 479-6637 or contact me. Jim Walker has helped fix blacklisted servers since the early 2000s.