Questions from Bulletproof Members:

How does Bulletproof Inbox work?

Bulletproof Inbox works seamlessly with Gmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft Outlook, and any email hosted by Microsoft Outlook. Bulletproof is also compatible with the Apple mail app (as long as the email is hosted by Gmail or Microsoft). Bulletproof technology reviews all incoming senders and determines who makes it to your inbox based on the settings you set up in your Bulletproof account. Messages from Approved Senders will be in your inbox. If you have blocked a sender once, you will never see them again. As for unknown senders, Bulletproof will automatically send them an inbox request form asking them why they want to contact you (if you have the inbox request form feature enabled). You will no longer have to do the work of weeding through unwanted emails. Bulletproof pushes the work back onto the sender! Enjoy your clean inbox.

What is the Approved Sender List?

Your approved sender’s list comprises all the emails and domains that are allowed to email your inbox. You can also see a list of the Blocked emails and domains that will not be able to email your inbox. You can update the list at any time. Please note: Your Approved Sender’s list has no effect on your actual Gmail or Outlook contacts (ie- if you remove a sender from your Bulletproof list, this will not affect your contact list within Gmail or Outlook).

How is the Approved Sender List created?

Bulletproof will automatically build your initial approved sender list. The list is created by including your email contacts and anyone who you have emailed in the recent past. We will also review senders in your inbox to find Domains that frequently email you so that you can approve or block them. You can add or update senders or Domains as Approved or Blocked within your Approved sender list at any time.

How is Bulletproof different than Gmail & Outlook’s standard spam blocking software?

For Gmail-

Whether Bulletproof is a good fit for you really boils down to 1 question: Do you get a lot of unwanted emails?

This is because Bulletproof is much more than just a spam blocker. Instead, it is an access control layer that sits between your inbox & all of the unwanted emails you don’t want to read (this includes the sales drips, newsletters & cold emails that Gmail would not mark as spam).

With Gmail, it is often unclear why an email is marked as spam ( or why sometimes legitimate emails are blocked). With Bulletproof, you can be confident that any approved email will go to your inbox & all other emails will be filtered into your 'Bp: Blocked' folder or 'Bp: Evaluating' folder. You can update the status of a sender directly in Gmail by moving the email to the designated folder where you want the sender’s message to go in the future.
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For Outlook-

Whether Bulletproof is a good fit for you really boils down to 1 question: Do you get a lot of unwanted emails?

This is because Bulletproof is much more than just a spam blocker. Instead, it is an access control layer that sits between your inbox & all of the unwanted emails you don’t want to read (this includes the sales drips, newsletters & cold emails that Outlook would not mark as spam).

With Outlook, it is often unclear why an email is marked as junk. With Bulletproof, you can be confident that any Approved email will go to your inbox & all other emails will be filtered into your ‘Bp: Blocked’ folder or ‘Bp: Evaluating’ folder.

You can update the status of a sender directly in Outlook by moving the email to the designated folder where you want the sender’s message to go in the future. You can also be confident that no important emails will get stuck in your junk folder due to Outlook; we make sure to pull any Approved emails back into your inbox from the junk folder.
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What happens to emails that are neither ‘Approved’ nor ‘Blocked’?

Emails from new senders will go to your ‘Bp: Evaluating’ folder. New senders will automatically receive an inbox request form so you can learn why they want to contact you. When new senders complete the inbox request form, you will receive a daily digest email and see the request(s) in your Bulletproof dashboard. You can update a sender within the ‘Bp: Evaluating’ folder to ‘Approved’ or ‘Blocked’ at any time.

How do I update my Approved Sender List?

There are 5 main ways to update your Approved Sender List:

Watch Video Tutorial

1. Move the Email Within Your Email App or Web Browser

For Desktop-

- Drag an email to your inbox to approve all future emails from that sender
- Drag an email to your ‘Bp: Blocked’ folder to block all future emails from that sender
- The "Drag & Drop" process works for the following web browser/desktop apps: Gmail, Outlook, Apple mail.
‍This process works for moving emails within your inbox, “Bp: Evaluating” and “Bp: Blocked” folders.

For Mobile-

Gmail App:

1. Select the desired email you wish to update
2. Press the “...” menu button in the top right corner
3. Select “move”
4. Press “Bp: Approved” to send all future emails to your inbox
5. OR press “Bp: Blocked” to block all future emails from that sender

Outlook Mail App:

1. Select the desired email you wish to update
2. Press the “...” menu button in the top middle
3. Select “Move to Folder”
4. Press “Bp: Approved” to send all future emails to your inbox
5. OR press “Bp: Blocked” to block all future emails from that sender

Apple Mail App:

1. Select the desired email you wish to update
2. Press the left arrow button (2nd from the right) on the bottom menu
3. Select “Move Message”
4. Press “Bp: Approved” to send all future emails to your inbox
5. OR press “Bp: Blocked” to block all future emails from that sender
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2. Send an Email

When replying to an email or sending a new message to a specific email address, we’ll automatically create an approved sender.

3. From Your Request Dashboard

You can approve or block an inbox request from the Request’s tab at bulletproofinbox.com

4. From Your Sender’s Page

1. Go to the Approved senders list at bulletproofinbox.com
2. Find the specific sender, then change the status to approved or blocked
3. Or click “Add Sender”, then add the new sender as either approved or blocked

5. From Your Domain’s Page

1. Go to the Approved sender list at bulletproofinbox.com and navigate to the “Domains” tab
2. Find the specific domain, then change the status to approved or blocked
3. Click “Add Domain”, then add the new domain as either approved or blocked

How often should I check my ‘Bp: Evaluating’ folder?

For the first few weeks, we recommend you check your ‘Bp: Evaluating’ folder ONCE a day to see if there are any emails you want to receive. Simply drag emails you want to receive to your inbox and drag emails you never want to see again to your *Bp: Blocked* folder. Please remember, if you are actively working with someone and don’t see an expected email, make sure to check the Evaluating folder.

How is this different than Gmail’s Promotions, Social, etc. tabs?

Bulletproof Inbox is all about removing the clutter & unwanted emails from your inbox. Bulletproof will also process & handle your emails within Gmail’s tabs based on your Approved Sender List.

This means that only Approved emails will appear in the associated Gmail tabs (ie- Promotions, Social, Updates, etc.). If the email is not Approved, then it will be moved to your ‘Bp: Blocked’ and ‘Bp: Evaluating’ folder accordingly.

In our experience, adding Bulletproof protection on top of Gmail’s tabs is a wonderful way to save even more time.

I can't find an email that I'm looking for, what should I do?

On occasion, you will be expecting an email, but not see it in your inbox (or other folders). Did Bulletproof do something to prevent you from getting it? Bulletproof will always put emails into one of three folders: Inbox, BP: Blocked, BP: Evaluating. Note- if an email is in the inbox, a copy of it will also show up in the BP: approved folder. If the email is not in one of those 3 folders, then it is unlikely that Bulletproof is responsible for the missing email. Below are the most common reasons that emails go missing, and how to resolve some of these issues:

1. The email is in the ‘Spam’ folder (called ‘junk folder’ in Outlook)

If this occurs, you can approve the sender and their emails will be delivered to your inbox the next time they email you.

2. The sender sent the email to the wrong address

Confirm that the sender sent the email to the correct address (with no typos or mis-spellings).

3. The email is stuck in the spam folder of a forwarding account

If you are forwarding emails from a separate address to the email account that is connected to Bulletproof, it is possible that an email is stuck in the spam folder of the forwarding account & never made it to the email account connected to Bulletproof. Please log in directly to the email system of the forwarding account to check their spam folder.

4. The email is quarantined at the server level by Gmail or Outlook

For Gmail-

- Sign in to your Google Admin console.
- From the Admin console dashboard, go to Apps -> Google Workspace-> Gmail -> Manage quarantines.
- Click ‘Go to admin quarantine’ to display all the quarantines.
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For Outlook-

- In the Microsoft 365 Defender portal, go to Email & collaboration -> Review -> Quarantine -> Email tab.
- To go directly to the Email tab on the Quarantine page, use https://security.microsoft.com/quarantine?viewid=Email.
- On the Email tab, select the quarantined message by clicking anywhere in the row other than the check box.
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5. The email is filtered by third party filters

If you work at a business, your company may be using third party software to block certain emails. Check with your IT department to see if this situation applies and how to resolve issues.

6. The email is stuck in the sender’s outbox

Even if the email is in their 'Sent items' folder, the email may not have left their email system successfully. If you think the email may be stuck in the sender’s outbox, ensure they have considered these potential issues:
- The attachment (if applicable) is too big to send
- The email was sent while they were offline
- The sender’s cache is causing issues due to expired or corrupted files. Check out these support articles for Gmail and Outlook.
- Their email is not fully updated; they may need to update to the latest version of their email app.

7. Offline mode is enabled on your email

If you are working in ‘offline’ mode, you will not be able to receive new emails. Learn how to turn this off for Gmail and Outlook.

8. The search results are not searching every folder

When using the search bar to find the email, ensure the search includes all of the possible folders (and not a specific folder or inbox only).

9. The email is caught in a specific folder or category

Ensure the email was not filtered into one of Gmail’s categories: ‘Promotions’, ‘Social’, ‘Updates’ etc. (Called ‘Other’ in Outlook).

10. The email is filtered by a rule you have enabled

Confirm you don’t have a rule turned on that filtered the email to a specific folder. Check out these support articles related to email rules for Gmail and Outlook.

11. The email is being sorted based on a particular setting or inbox type

Both Gmail and Outlook offer different sorting options (ie- show unread first, filter by date, show important first, etc.). Confirm your specific inbox settings are not moving the email to an unexpected location.

12. The email is in your deleted folder

Confirm the email has not accidentally been deleted (called “trash” in Gmail).

13. The email account you use is out of storage space

Confirm you have not run out of space to receive new emails. For Gmail, check your Google Drive Storage space. For Outlook, check out this article.

What is the difference between my inbox and the “Bp: Approved” folder? (Gmail Only)

There is no difference between the two folders; All emails in your approved folder will be in your inbox. The “Bp: Approved” folder exists to ensure the drag & drop functionality works correctly. Because there is no difference between the two, you can ignore the approved folder & use your regular inbox like normal.

What is the difference between a sender and a domain?

Senders represent individual email addresses (bob.smith@amazon.com for example). Domains represent all emails from a single company (@amazon.com for example).

Does Bulletproof Inbox send the inbox request forms from my email address or a separate email address?

Inbox request forms are sent via your address by default in order to increase the response rate of inbox requests & streamline the process to approve/block senders. If you would like the inbox request form to be sent via protect@mg.bulletproofinbox.com instead, reach out to support@bulletproofinbox.com. You also have the option to turn off the evaluation email that is sent to new senders.

If I have rules set up to filter emails in my inbox, what happens to those emails?

Rules you have enabled in Gmail or Outlook will work as normal. If you have a rule set to move certain emails to a specific folder, the rule will still be applied and the emails will be moved to the correct folder.

Does Bulletproof delete my emails?

Bulletproof will not delete any of your emails, we will only move them to the appropriate folders. The only exception to this, is that Bulletproof will delete old emails that Bulletproof sends to you. For example, Bulletproof Inbox will periodically send you summary emails regarding your account history and activity. We move emails we send to you to the trash once they are no longer relevant. We do not delete any other emails.

Why am I getting Gmail notifications on my phone for emails that are going to my 'Bp: Evaluating' and 'Bp: Blocked' folder?

If you have email notifications enabled, emails can occasionally enter the inbox and immediately trigger a notification before our application can process and move the email accordingly. Pro Tip: We encourage Bulletproof members to turn off email notifications as a best practice because it is easier to perform your best when you’re not getting distracted by constant notifications. Your attention is worth too much to get distracted whenever your phone pings.

Why does Bulletproof send an evaluation email to new senders who email me?

This step removes most senders that use automation to clog your inbox with unwanted emails. It also empowers you to review their requests when it is convenient for you.

NOTE: You have the option to turn off the evaluation email that is sent to new senders.
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When I move an email to update the status of a sender in Outlook, why does it not update the label right away?

It may take several seconds for our application to process the moved emails (especially if you're moving multiple at once).

If the label(s) have not been properly updated, and the status is not showing correctly on your approved sender list within 5 minutes, then you can report a bug. Reach out to support@bulletproofinbox.com for help.

How do I cancel/unsubscribe?

1. Login to your Bulletproof account at https://app.bulletproofinbox.com/login
2. Navigate to your profile (in the top right corner)
3. Select 'Delete Account'

Deleting your account will disconnect Bulletproof from your email accounts and delete your Bulletproof account including all personal data.

Sending Emails to Bulletproof Members:

Why did I get this inbox request form email?

The person you tried to email uses Bulletproof Inbox. Bulletproof Inbox sends an inbox request email to any new sender that doesn't meet the criteria to be delivered directly to the Bulletproof member's inbox. The email address you sent from is not yet on the approved sender list of the Bulletproof member you were trying to reach.

Did my email get delivered?

If your email wasn't on a Bulletproof member's approved sender list, it was still delivered to the member's email account and has been routed to a folder for lower-priority emails. If you want to ensure your email is seen by the member, you will need to take further action such as completing the inbox request form.

How do I get my email delivered to the member's inbox?

If you want to increase the chances of the member seeing your email, complete the inbox request form you received via email.

Will I see another inbox request form the next time I email the Bulletproof member?

You will typically only receive the inbox request form once.

Compatibility:

Will Bulletproof Inbox work with my email setup?

Currently, Bulletproof Inbox works with Google mail (Gmail or Google Workspace) and Microsoft mail (Outlook or any email hosted by Microsoft Outlook). Note: if you use MS Outlook client to read your emails, but the email account is not hosted by a MS Outlook server, then Bulletproof will not work. Similarly, if you use Gmail client to read your emails, but the email account is not hosted by a Gmail server, then Bulletproof will not work. Bulletproof Inbox is designed to work with your existing email tools, workflow, and email provider. Bulletproof Inbox is also built to work anywhere you check your email - on your PC or Mac, web browser or mobile.

I use a custom domain for my email, and I don’t know who my email service provider is. How do I find my provider? (example: @bulletproofinbox.com)

To find out who your email service provider is, use this website and follow the steps below.

Examples of email service providers include: Gmail, Outlook (Microsoft Office), etc.

#1.

#2.

How do I get Bulletproof Inbox if I don’t have administrative permission to approve apps?

If you do not have administrative access over your email, you may need to contact your IT team to approve the use of Bulletproof Inbox. If necessary, you can refer your IT department to the Security section of this page to learn more about the value and security measures of Bulletproof Inbox. If your IT department still has questions or concerns, they can reach out to us at support@bulletproofinbox.com

Can I use Bulletproof Inbox with more than one email address?

Yes. Currently, Bulletproof members can connect up to 2 email addresses to a single account. In addition, you will be able to use your single approved senders list for both emails.

If you'd like to connect more than 2 emails, please reach out to jack@bulletproofinbox.com for more details.

How much does a Bulletproof Inbox membership cost?

Bulletproof Inbox costs $10 per month. To learn more about our account plans, check out our pricing page.

How do I get started?

We are currently in beta with a small group of passionate Bulletproof members. To get Bulletproof Inbox for yourself, visit our signup page.

Security:

Is Bulletproof Inbox compliant with the Microsoft Outlook API & Gmail API?

Yes. Bulletproof Inbox is fully approved and in compliance with the Microsoft Outlook API & Gmail API. To validate the security of our application, we underwent a 4 part security audit. Our official letter of assessment can be provided upon request.

What email information does Bulletproof Inbox use?

After creating a Bulletproof Inbox account, you will be prompted to “Connect” an Outlook or Gmail email account. Connecting an email address means you are giving Bulletproof Inbox authorization to access your email account to query your Contacts, Inbox, Sent Mail, and Junk folder. Please note: with each query, Bulletproof only select the parts that are absolutely needed: recipients, sender, subject & time sent.

Does Bulletproof Inbox read my email?

No. Bulletproof Inbox protects your inbox without reading or recording your email. When running the application, Bulletproof will view the sender’s email address, subject line, date sent, and name. With most interactions, Bulletproof only stores the name and email address of the recipients in the message. Bulletproof NEVER views message bodies, nor stores any message body data. See our privacy policy for more details.

Is Bulletproof Inbox secure?

Our purpose is to protect your Time AND Security.

1. Your email never leaves your server. Bulletproof Inbox never takes possession of your emails and only analyzes email senders and subject headers to determine what's essential.

2. We don’t receive or need your password. To use Bulletproof, all you have to do is grant access to the requested permissions in Google or Outlook.

3. We NEVER sell email addresses or personal user information.

4. If for any reason you decide to delete your Bulletproof account, we will delete all associated data tied to the account.

What permissions does Bulletproof Inbox need?

Bulletproof Inbox only requires the Google Mail 'Modify’ permission and/or Microsoft Graph API, which allows us to update the labels, change folders of your emails, and run our application to protect your time & security. Bulletproof Inbox's use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs adheres to Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

What if Bulletproof Inbox goes offline?

If Bulletproof Inbox happens to go offline, all of your emails will still be delivered to you. The only difference is your email will be delivered into your Inbox and not sorted into the correct folder(s) during the time Bulletproof Inbox is offline. Once Bulletproof Inbox is online again, we may retroactively scan and filter any emails we missed during the outage.

If Bulletproof is not working, it may also be due to our application losing permission to access your email account (ie- this will happen when you change/reset your email password). If you think Bulletproof lost access, you can go to https://app.bulletproofinbox.com/login and follow the prompts to reconnect your email.

Bulletproof may also go offline due to outages with Gmail or Microsoft. You can check the Gmail Status page or the Outlook Status page for the latest update.

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? You can chat with our friendly team.

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