> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://openmail-docs-reputation-lifecycle-webhooks.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sender rules

> Control which senders can reach your inboxes using allow and block lists. OpenMail sender rules filter inbound messages before they trigger webhooks.

Sender rules let you control who can send email to your inboxes. You can block specific senders or domains, or switch to allowlist mode so only approved senders get through.

## How it works

Every inbound email is checked against your sender rules before delivery. Rules match on either a full email address (`user@example.com`) or an entire domain (`example.com`).

There are two rule types:

| Type    | Effect                                                  |
| ------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| `block` | Emails from this sender or domain are silently dropped  |
| `allow` | Used in allowlist mode — only these senders get through |

## Filter modes

Your account has an **inbound filter mode** that controls how rules are applied:

| Mode             | Behavior                                                                      |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `none` (default) | All inbound email is accepted. Block rules still apply.                       |
| `allowlist`      | Only senders matching an allow rule are accepted. Everything else is dropped. |

### Default mode (`none`)

In default mode, all inbound email is delivered unless the sender matches a block rule. Use this when you only need to block a few known bad senders.

### Allowlist mode

In allowlist mode, only senders that match an allow rule are delivered. All other email is dropped. Use this when your agent should only communicate with a known set of contacts.

<Note>
  Block rules are always enforced, even in allowlist mode. If a sender matches both an allow rule and a block rule, the block rule wins.
</Note>

## Rule matching

Rules match against the sender's email address (`From` header):

* **Email rules** match the exact address: `spam@example.com`
* **Domain rules** match any address at that domain: `example.com` blocks `alice@example.com`, `bob@example.com`, etc.

Values are case-insensitive and normalized to lowercase.

## Managing rules

You can manage sender rules from the **Allow/Block List** page in your [Dashboard](https://console.openmail.sh/login) settings. From there you can:

* Add email addresses or domains to your allow or block list
* Switch between `none` and `allowlist` filter modes
* Remove rules you no longer need

## What happens to filtered email

Emails that are blocked or not in the allowlist are silently dropped. They do not trigger [webhook](/concepts/webhooks) or [WebSocket](/concepts/websockets) events, and they do not appear in your inbox.

<Tip>
  Sender rules work alongside [suppressions](/concepts/suppressions). Suppressions automatically block addresses that have bounced or been reported as spam. Sender rules give you manual control on top of that.
</Tip>