The Phish Alert Button (PAB) is a one-click tool built into Outlook that lets you report suspicious or potentially malicious emails directly to the Security team. Reporting an email with the PAB automatically forwards it for analysis and removes it from your inbox — no need to forward manually or open a ticket.

Use the PAB for:

  • Phishing emails (attempts to steal credentials or sensitive info)
  • Suspicious links or attachments
  • Emails impersonating a coworker, vendor, or executive
  • Anything that looks "off" — unexpected urgency, mismatched sender address, unfamiliar requests

Don't use the PAB for:

  • Spam or marketing emails — just delete these, or add the sender to your Blocked Senders list (see the Blocked Emails article)
  • Emails you're unsure about but that aren't clearly malicious — when in doubt, report it anyway. It's always better to have Security take a look.

Classic Outlook (Desktop App – Windows)

  1. Open or select the suspicious email.
  2. On the Home tab, click the Phish Alert button in the ribbon.
    • You can also right-click the email in your inbox and select Phish Alert from the context menu.
  3. A confirmation window will pop up. Click Phish Alert again to confirm the report.
  4. If prompted, select an Email Classification (e.g., Phishing, Suspicious, Spam) and add an optional comment describing why you're reporting it.
  5. Click Ok on the confirmation message. The email will be forwarded to Security and removed from your inbox.

New Outlook (Windows) / Outlook on the Web

  1. Open the suspicious email.
  2. Click the Apps icon in the top-right corner of the open email, then select the Phish Alert add-in.
    • If you don't see it listed, click Add apps to locate and add it.
  3. In the pop-up window, click Phish Alert again to confirm the report.
  4. If prompted, choose an Email Classification and add an optional comment.
  5. Click Ok to close the confirmation message.

Outlook for Mac

  1. Open the suspicious email.
  2. Click the ellipsis icon (...) in the toolbar at the top of the email.
  3. Select the Phish Alert add-in from the menu.
  4. In the pop-up window, click Phish Alert again to confirm the report.
  5. Click Ok to close the confirmation message.

Outlook Mobile App (iOS and Android)

  1. Open the suspicious email.
  2. Tap the three-dot ellipsis icon (...) in the top-right corner of the email.
  3. Tap Phish Alert from the list of add-ins.
  4. On the confirmation screen, tap the Phish Alert button again to submit the report.
  5. Tap Ok to dismiss the confirmation message.

What Happens After You Report

  • A confirmation message tells you whether the email was one of our simulated phishing tests (great catch!) or a real email that will be reviewed by the Security team.
  • The reported email is removed from your inbox and moved to your Deleted Items (or logged in Sent Items as a forwarded message, depending on your PAB configuration).

Reported by mistake? No problem — the original email isn't gone for good. Check your Deleted Items folder and move it back to your inbox.

Good to Know

  • The PAB button not showing up? Make sure the Reading Pane is enabled, and check the Apps launcher in case it needs to be pinned to your toolbar. If it's still missing, contact the Help Desk.
  • Reporting a simulated phishing test? These are sent periodically as part of our security awareness training — reporting them correctly is a great habit and is tracked as a successful catch.
  • Not sure if something is phishing? Report it anyway. It's always better to have Security review a false alarm than to miss a real threat.
  • Questions or issues with the PAB itself? Submit a Help Desk ticket and we'll take a look.