Blocking a person on Gmail stops their emails from reaching your inbox and hides their messages from view
When you block someone on Gmail, their emails go straight to spam and you will not see notifications for them. You cannot see messages they have already sent you — they disappear from your inbox and all folders. If they try to contact you through Google Meet or Chat, those requests will also be blocked. The person does not receive a notification that you have blocked them, but they may figure it out if their emails never get responses.
Blocking is different from unsubscribing. Unsubscribe removes you from a mailing list; blocking prevents one specific person from contacting you at all. You can block someone whether or not you are subscribed to their messages.
Key Takeaways
- Open an email from the person you want to block, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [person's name]" — this takes about ten seconds.
- Once blocked, all their past emails disappear from your inbox and their new messages land in spam automatically.
- You can unblock someone later by going to Settings, finding their address in the blocked list, and clicking unblock next to their name.
- Blocking only affects your Gmail account — the person can still email you from a different address or contact you through other platforms.
How to block someone from an open email
The fastest way to block someone is to open any email they sent you. Look for the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the email. Click it and select "Block [person's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will ask you to confirm — click "Block" again and the action is done.
After you block them, Gmail will move all their past emails to spam and automatically send any future messages from that address to spam as well. You will not see a notification when they email you.
How to block someone from the sender's contact card
You can also block someone by clicking on their name or email address at the top of their message. This opens their contact card — a small window showing their name and email. Look for the three-dot menu on that card and select "Block [person's name]." The result is the same as blocking from the email itself.
This method is useful if you want to see who you are blocking before you confirm, since the contact card shows you their full name and email address clearly.
Finding and managing your blocked list
To see everyone you have blocked, open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select "See all settings." Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section and you will see a list of every person you have blocked.
If you want to unblock someone, find their email address in that list and click "Unblock" next to their name. Once you unblock them, their old emails will reappear in your inbox and their new messages will arrive normally instead of going to spam.
What happens when you block someone
When you block a person on Gmail, several things happen at once. All emails they have already sent you move to your spam folder and disappear from your inbox, sent items, and other folders. You will not see them in search results unless you specifically search in spam. Any new emails from that address will land in spam automatically.
If the person tries to contact you through Google Meet or Google Chat, those requests will be blocked and they will not be able to reach you. However, blocking only works within Google services — they can still call you, text you, or contact you through other email accounts or platforms.
Blocking someone does not prevent them from seeing your emails
Blocking is one-way. If you have already sent emails to the person you are blocking, they can still read those messages and reply to them. Your block only stops their messages from reaching you — it does not delete anything on their end or prevent them from seeing your past correspondence.
If you want to make sure someone cannot contact you at all, you may also want to delete your past email thread with them so you do not accidentally reply to an old message. However, this is optional — blocking alone will prevent their new messages from reaching your inbox.
Blocking on mobile Gmail
On a phone or tablet, open the Gmail app and find an email from the person you want to block. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the email. Tap "Block [person's name]" and confirm. The process is the same as on a computer.
If you cannot find the block option in the menu, make sure you are using the official Gmail app from Google, not a third-party email app. Some third-party apps do not support Gmail's blocking feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a blocked person tell that I blocked them?
No, Gmail does not send a notification when you block someone. However, if they email you and never get a response, they may suspect you have blocked them. If they try to contact you through Google Meet or Chat and see that requests are blocked, they will know for certain.
What if someone blocks me on Gmail?
If someone blocks you, your emails will go to their spam folder and they will not see them. You will not receive a bounce-back message or notification — your email will straightforward disappear. You can still send messages, but they will never reach the person's inbox.
Can I block an email address that does not exist yet?
No, you can only block email addresses that have sent you at least one message. If you want to prevent someone from contacting you before they do, you will need to wait for their first email, then block them when ready.
If I unblock someone, will their old emails come back?
Yes, when you unblock someone, all their emails that were moved to spam will reappear in your inbox in their original folders. Their new emails will also arrive normally instead of going to spam.
Does blocking someone on Gmail block them on other Google services?
Blocking on Gmail blocks them from contacting you through Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Chat. However, it does not block them on YouTube, Google Drive, or other Google services. Those platforms have their own separate blocking features.