How do Microsoft’s consumer filters differ from corporate filters (Exchange Online Protection)?

Microsoft's consumer filters (Outlook.com, Hotmail) and corporate filters (Exchange Online Protection, EOP) share core technology but operate with different default configurations and customization options. Consumer filters optimize for typical personal email patterns, while corporate filters support business specific policies.

Exchange Online Protection provides administrators with granular control: custom blocklists, allowlists, content rules, and connection filtering policies. Consumer accounts have limited customization beyond basic junk mail settings. EOP also integrates with Advanced Threat Protection for additional security layers.

The practical difference for senders is that corporate recipients may face stricter or more varied filtering depending on their organization's configuration. A message reaching Outlook.com inboxes might get blocked at a company using aggressive EOP settings. This variability makes Microsoft deliverability particularly challenging for B2B senders.