---
title: Cleanup
description: "Block senders, auto-archive by sender, set age-based retention, one-tap unsubscribe, and bulk actions to keep your inbox clear."
---

> **For AI agents:** the complete documentation index is at [llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any page URL for its markdown version.

Mailhopper can clear clutter for you: block a sender, auto-file mail from a sender, age
out old mail, unsubscribe in one tap, or act on many messages at once.

<Info>
Every cleanup action is a **real IMAP move in your mailbox**, not a filter on your email
provider. Because Mailhopper acts on your actual mail, the changes show up in every mail app
and on every device. New mail is filed within seconds of arriving; while Mailhopper is
offline, your rules catch up the next time it connects.
</Info>

## Block a sender

When you're reading something you never want to see again, press **Block sender** in the
reading pane. Mailhopper records the sender and moves that message to Trash, and every
future message from that sender is moved to Trash automatically.

Manage your block list under **Settings → Rules → Blocked senders**. Add a rule by full
email address or by whole domain, and remove one anytime.

<Note>
Blocking moves mail to Trash after it arrives; it doesn't tell the sender anything and
doesn't reject mail at your provider. To stop a legitimate newsletter, use **Unsubscribe**
below instead.
</Note>

## Auto-archive a sender

To keep a sender's mail out of your inbox without losing it (receipts and notifications,
say), add an **Auto-archive sender** rule under **Settings → Rules**. Matching mail is moved
straight to your Archive folder instead of the inbox, by email address or domain.

## Clean up existing mail, too

When you add a block or auto-archive rule, Mailhopper offers to **also clean up existing
matching mail**, sweeping what's already in your inbox in one go, not just future messages.
Leave the box checked to clear the backlog, or uncheck it to apply the rule going forward
only.

## Retention

Set mail to clear itself after a while. Under **Settings → Retention**, pick a folder, a
number of days, and whether older mail is **archived** or **moved to Trash**.

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Example" icon="clock-rotate-left">
    Inbox · older than 90 days · move to Trash keeps your inbox to the last three months.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Runs daily" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Mailhopper checks your retention rules once a day and files anything past its age.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Unsubscribe

Open a newsletter or promotional email and press **Unsubscribe**. Mailhopper uses the
message's own unsubscribe method (a one-click unsubscribe where the sender supports it),
so you don't have to hunt for a link at the bottom of the email. The button appears only on
mail that offers an unsubscribe option.

## Bulk actions

Select multiple messages in the list (tick their checkboxes; hold <kbd>Shift</kbd> to pick
a range), then apply one action to all of them at once:

| Action | What it does |
|--------|--------------|
| Mark read | Marks every selected message read. |
| Archive | Moves them all out of the inbox to Archive. |
| Delete | Moves them all to Trash (recoverable). |

<Tip>
Combine bulk actions with [search](/unified-inbox#search): search a sender or subject,
select the results, and clear them in one action.
</Tip>