Understanding contact states and when to use them
Every contact in Cleanbox has a state that controls how their emails are handled. You set states manually from the contact detail page, or they can be set automatically via Auto-manage (part of the Intelligence feature).
There are five states, each with a different effect on incoming mail. Choosing the right one helps you stay in control of your inbox without losing important messages.
The five contact states
Unset (default)
This is the default state for every new contact. Messages go through the full processing pipeline: spam checks, filters, Shield, and quarantine rules all apply as normal.
Leave contacts as “unset” unless you have a specific reason to change them. For most senders, the standard pipeline does exactly what you need.
Whitelisted
A whitelisted contact is a trusted sender. Their messages skip spam checks, Gatekeeper, and rate limits (Shield Limiter). Messages still pass through your filters and delivery window (Snoozer).
Use for: important contacts you never want filtered — your bank, your employer, close contacts.
Be selective — whitelisting too broadly reduces the effectiveness of your spam protection.
Prioritized
A prioritized contact is an important sender. Their messages are flagged as important in your inbox and skip Gatekeeper and rate limits. Unlike whitelisted contacts, spam checks still apply.
Use for: contacts whose emails you want highlighted but still scanned — a client, a key service, or a contact you’re actively working with.
Muted
Messages from muted contacts are delivered but automatically marked as read. The full processing pipeline still applies — spam checks, filters, and Shield all run as normal.
Use for: senders you don’t want to unsubscribe from but don’t need to see immediately — order confirmations, automated notifications, or low-priority newsletters.
Blocked
All messages from a blocked contact are rejected immediately. No scanning, no filtering, no delivery. The sender’s messages are denied before any processing takes place.
Use for: persistent spammers, harassment, or any sender you never want to hear from. This is the most aggressive state.
How to change a contact’s state
- Go to Contacts and click on the contact you want to update.
- On the contact detail page, use the state selector to pick the new state.
- The change takes effect immediately for all future messages.
How states interact with Shield
Your contact’s state determines which parts of Shield apply to their messages:
- Whitelisted and Prioritized contacts bypass Gatekeeper and rate limits.
- Blocked contacts are rejected before Shield is even checked.
- Muted and Unset contacts go through Shield normally.
By combining contact states with Shield rules, you get fine-grained control over who reaches your inbox and how their messages are handled.
