Allowlist (whitelist)
An allowlist, traditionally called a whitelist, is a list of senders, domains or IP addresses that a user or system trusts and whose messages it accepts without applying all blocking filters
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
In email, adding a sender to an allowlist, for instance by saving them as a contact or marking them as safe, helps their messages reach the inbox and display images. This is why many brands ask new subscribers to add them as a contact after signing up.
Being on an allowlist does not replace domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), a good sending reputation or consent; mailbox providers still assess every message. In computing, “allowlist” is increasingly preferred to “whitelist”, and the opposite concept is the blocklist.
Also known as
Whitelist, Safe senders list
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