Apr 4, 2025
Heads Up: Microsoft Changes May Impact Your Inbox Placement
Microsoft Is Updating Bulk Sender Requirements—Here’s What You Need to Know
Microsoft is rolling out new requirements for high-volume email senders across its consumer domains—Outlook, Hotmail, Live, and MSN—starting May 5, 2025.
If your brand sends more than 5,000 emails a day, and you haven’t checked your email authentication setup in a while, it’s time to stop avoiding eye contact with your DNS settings.
What’s Changing?
To help reduce spam and improve email safety, Microsoft's will require stronger authentication protocols: You must have SPF, DKIM, and DMARC properly configured.
Microsoft also recommends
Easy, one-click unsubscribe: Recipients must be able to opt out without hassle.
Consent to receive emails from all recipients: de-anonymization tools and purchased lists are not considered consent to receive emails.
Transparent mailing practices like accurate subject lines and headers.
Why It Matters
If email providers like Microsoft consider your emails spam, you are less likely to reach even your most engaged customers' inboxes. Similar changes from Google and Yahoo in the past have negatively impacted deliverability, click rates, and revenue for brands that don't follow best practices.
Now’s the time to get ahead of the change. These filters are getting more aggressive, and even a small uptick in spam complaints or a misconfigured record could tank your deliverability.
What You Should Do Now
✅ Audit your authentication: Make sure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are all properly set up and aligned. It’s now non-negotiable.
✅ Make unsubscribing painless: A one-click opt-out is required. If it’s buried or broken, you’re risking complaints—and complaints kill inbox placement.
✅ Watch your complaint rates: High spam reports can get your emails deprioritized or filtered altogether. Keep a close eye on your metrics for Microsoft domains.
✅ Avoid oversending: Unengaged contacts will not open or click, negatively impacting your sender reputation
✅ Segment smartly: Avoid blasting your full list. Focus on high-intent segments with strong engagement signals to stay in the good graces of Microsoft’s filters.
Reminder for Orita Users
If you’re using Orita, you’re already ahead.
We help you:
Prioritize engaged and high-propensity customers
Avoid oversending to low-engagement segments
Stay ahead of evolving deliverability standards
TL;DR
Microsoft is tightening the rules for high-volume senders starting in May. Check your authentication, monitor your complaint rates, and focus on sending to people who actually want to hear from you.
Need help improving deliverability? Let’s talk.
