Email filters in cPanel allow you to automatically manage incoming messages based on criteria such as sender, subject, or content. With them, you can organize emails into folders, block unwanted senders, forward messages to another account, or delete emails you don't need — all without manual intervention.

Types of filters in cPanel

cPanel offers two levels of email filters. It's important to understand the difference in order to choose the right one:

ℹ️ Which one to choose? Global filters are ideal for rules you want to apply across all accounts (for example, blocking a spam sender for the entire domain). Per-account filters are better for personalized rules for each mailbox.

How to create a filter step by step

The process is the same for both filter types. In this example, we'll use global filters:

Step 1: Access the filters

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. In the Email section, click on Global Email Filters (or "Email Filters" if you want a per-account filter).
3. Click Create a New Filter.

Step 2: Name the filter

In the Filter Name field, type a descriptive name that allows you to easily identify the rule. This name is for reference only and does not affect how the filter works.

Good name examples: Block spam promotions, Invoices to folder, Forward orders to sales.

Step 3: Define the conditions (criteria)

Each filter needs at least one condition that determines when it triggers. Conditions are made up of three parts:

1️⃣ Field to evaluate — Which part of the email is analyzed:

2️⃣ Comparison operator — How the value is compared:

3️⃣ Value — The text or address you want to search for (for example: invoice, spam@example.com, newsletter).

ℹ️ Multiple conditions: You can add more than one condition by clicking the + button. When using multiple conditions, choose whether the filter triggers when all (AND) or any (OR) of them are met.

Step 4: Define the action

Once the conditions are defined, select what to do with the matching emails:

Step 5: Save the filter

Click Create to save the filter. The filter will be applied immediately to all new incoming emails.

Practical examples

Here are some filters you can replicate directly based on your needs:

📌 Example 1: Delete emails from a specific sender

Ideal for blocking persistent spam from a known address.

📌 Example 2: Move invoices to a dedicated folder

Keeps your inbox clean by automatically organizing invoices.

ℹ️ Note: The folder must exist beforehand. You can create it from Webmail (Roundcube or Horde) before setting up the filter.

📌 Example 3: Block an entire spam domain

When spam comes from multiple addresses at the same domain.

📌 Example 4: Forward orders to the sales department

Useful when a contact form sends orders to a general account and you need them to also reach the sales team.

⚠️ Important: The "Redirect" action does not keep a copy in the original account. If you need to keep a copy and also forward, use a Forwarder in cPanel instead of a filter.

📌 Example 5: Delete emails with high spam score (global filter)

Automatically deletes emails that SpamAssassin clearly considers spam for all accounts on the domain.

Recommendations and common mistakes

✅ Best practices:

• Be specific with conditions. Use word combinations or full phrases instead of generic terms. For example, Tax invoice is better than just invoice.
• Use multiple conditions. Combine criteria for greater precision: for example, Subject contains "invoice" AND From ends with "@vendor.com".
• Test before deleting. When creating a new filter, first use the "Deliver to folder" action instead of "Discard". After a few days, check the folder to confirm it only captures the intended emails, then switch to "Discard" if everything looks correct.
• Review periodically. Check your filters from time to time to make sure they're still useful and aren't incorrectly filtering important emails.
• Name your filters descriptively. A clear name will save you time when you need to modify or delete a filter in the future.

❌ Common mistakes:

• Using overly generic words. Filtering by "hello", "meeting", or "info" can catch legitimate important emails (false positives).
• Creating duplicate or conflicting filters. If you have a filter that moves emails to a folder and another that deletes them, the result will depend on the execution order.
• Forgetting that "Redirect" doesn't keep a copy. If you redirect an email, it is sent to the destination and is not kept in the original account.
• Creating filters and forgetting about them. A filter that made sense months ago may be deleting important emails today.

⚠️ Remember: Filters only apply to new emails that arrive after the rule is created. They do not affect messages already in your inbox.

Need help?

If you need help setting up a specific filter or aren't sure which rule to apply, our support team can guide you:

• Open a support ticket from your My Webzi panel or by writing to soporte@webzi.mx
• Live chat available at webzi.mx
• Browse our knowledge base: https://help.webzi.mx