The three ways to block senders on iPhone

You can block an email sender directly in the Mail app, which is the fastest method. Open the email from the person you want to block, tap the sender's name or email address at the top, then scroll down and tap Block This Contact. The Mail app will move that sender's future emails to trash automatically.

If you use Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or another email service's own app instead of Apple Mail, blocking works differently — you block within that app, not in iPhone's Mail app. Gmail's app has a block option in the message menu; Yahoo Mail has one in the sender details. Check your email provider's app for where the block button lives.

You can also block someone at the contact level. Open Contacts, find the person, tap Edit, scroll to the bottom, and tap Block This Caller. This blocks them from calling, texting, and emailing you across all iPhone apps, not just Mail.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender in Mail moves their emails to trash automatically; you can unblock them later by going to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts.
  • If you use Gmail, Yahoo, or another email app, you must block within that app itself — blocking in iPhone's Mail app does not affect those services.
  • Blocking someone in Contacts blocks them from email, calls, and texts across your entire phone, which is stronger than blocking just email.
  • Blocked senders can still send you mail; their messages just skip your inbox and go straight to trash, so you will not see notifications.

Blocking in Apple Mail versus blocking in your email app

Apple's Mail app and your email provider's own app (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) do not share a block list. If you block someone in Mail, they are blocked only in Mail. If you use Gmail's app for Gmail, blocking in the Gmail app does not block them in Mail.

This matters because many people use both. You might check Gmail through Apple Mail on your phone and through the Gmail app on your computer. Blocking in one place leaves you exposed in the other. If you want to block someone everywhere, block them in both places — or block them in Contacts, which affects all apps on your phone.

What happens after you block someone

Blocked senders' emails go to your Trash folder automatically. You will not see a notification when they email you. If you open Mail and go to Trash, you can see their messages, but they will not appear in your inbox or any other folder.

The blocked sender does not know they are blocked. Their email sends normally from their perspective; they have no way to tell whether you received it or blocked it. If they email you from a different address, that message will come through normally unless you block that address too.

Unblocking a sender if you change your mind

Go to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts. You will see a list of everyone you have blocked in Mail. Tap Edit in the top right, then tap the red minus sign next to the person's name, and tap Delete. They are now unblocked and their emails will arrive in your inbox again.

If you blocked someone in Contacts instead, open Contacts, find their name, tap Edit, scroll down, and tap Unblock This Caller.

When blocking is not enough

Blocking stops emails from reaching your inbox, but it does not stop them from arriving at your email address. If someone is sending you dozens of emails a day, blocking them one address at a time is slow. In that case, use your email provider's spam or filtering tools instead.

Gmail has a Block option in the message menu, but it also has Filters and Blocked Addresses under Settings, where you can block entire domains (like @spammer.com) at once. Yahoo Mail and Outlook have similar filtering options. These tools catch mail before it reaches your phone, which is more efficient than blocking individual addresses.

Blocking versus reporting spam

Blocking and reporting are different actions. When you block someone, their mail goes to trash. When you report mail as spam, you tell your email provider that the sender is a spammer, which helps train their spam filters for everyone. You can do both: report the message as spam, then block the sender.

In Apple Mail, swipe left on an email and tap the trash icon to delete it, or tap the flag icon and choose Mark as Junk. In Gmail's app, tap the three dots and choose Report spam. Reporting takes a few extra seconds but helps your email provider get better at filtering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a blocked sender tell that I blocked them?

No. Their email sends normally and they receive no notification or bounce-back message. From their perspective, the email went through. They have no way to know whether you read it, deleted it, or blocked it.

What if someone emails me from a different address after I block them?

That new address is not blocked. Their email will come through to your inbox normally. You would need to block each address separately. If someone is harassing you from multiple addresses, report the messages as spam and contact your email provider's support team.

Do I have to block them in both Mail and the Gmail app?

Yes, if you use both. Mail and Gmail's app have separate block lists. Blocking in one does not affect the other. If you want to block someone everywhere on your phone, block them in Contacts instead — that blocks them across all apps.

Will blocked emails ever show up in my inbox again?

No. Once you block someone in Mail, their emails go straight to trash. They will not appear in your inbox unless you unblock them. You can check your trash folder to see their messages, but they will not send you notifications.

Can I block emails from a company or domain instead of just one person?

Not in Mail's block feature — that only blocks individual email addresses. Use your email provider's filtering tools instead. Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook all let you create filters that block entire domains or keywords, which is faster than blocking addresses one at a time.