Blocking stops someone from reaching you, but the method depends on your email provider

Blocking a person on email prevents their messages from arriving in your inbox. Instead of seeing their mail, you'll either see nothing at all or their messages go to spam automatically — the exact behavior depends on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or another service. The block happens on your account, not theirs, so they won't know they're blocked unless they try to reach you and notice you never respond.

The fastest way to block someone is usually from an open email: most providers let you right-click a message and choose a block option. If you don't have an email from them yet, you can block them by going into your settings and adding their address to a blocked list. Either way, the process takes under a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo all have block features built into their settings, but the exact steps and names differ between them.
  • Blocking someone from an open email is faster than going into settings, because you don't have to type their address.
  • A blocked person's future emails go to spam or disappear entirely, but they can still see old emails you sent them before the block.
  • If someone is harassing you, blocking is a first step, but saving the messages and reporting them to your provider creates a record.

How to block someone in Gmail

Open any email from the person you want to block. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right of the email. Select "Block [person's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will ask you to confirm — click "Block" again, and the person is now blocked.

If you don't have an email from them yet, go to your Gmail settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right, then select "See all settings." Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll to the bottom and click "Create a new filter." Type their email address in the "From" field, then click "Create filter." Check the box next to "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox (Archive it)" depending on what you prefer, then click "Create filter." Gmail will now send their future emails to trash or archive them automatically.

How to block someone in Outlook

Open an email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more actions) in the top toolbar. Select "Block" from the menu. Outlook will confirm the block and move any future emails from that person to your Junk folder automatically.

To block someone without an email from them, go to your Outlook settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right. Select "View all Outlook settings." Go to "Mail" and then "Junk email." Under "Blocked senders," type the email address you want to block and click the plus sign to add it. Outlook will now treat all their emails as junk.

How to block someone in Yahoo Mail

Open an email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more options) on the right side of the email header. Select "Block sender." Yahoo will move their email to spam and block future messages from that address.

If you need to block someone without an email from them, click the gear icon in the top right and select "Settings." Go to "Security and privacy" and then "Blocked addresses." Type the email address in the text field and click "Add address." Yahoo will now send all their emails to your spam folder.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block someone, their future emails won't show up in your inbox. Depending on your provider, they either go straight to spam or disappear entirely. You won't get a notification when they try to email you — the block happens silently on your end.

The person you blocked can still see old emails you sent them before the block. They can also still see your email address and any information you shared with them previously. Blocking only stops new messages from reaching you; it doesn't erase your history with them or hide your account from them.

Unblocking someone if you change your mind

In Gmail, go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses," scroll down to the blocked addresses list, and click "unblock" next to the person's name. In Outlook, go to Settings, select "Junk email," find their address under "Blocked senders," and click the trash icon to remove them. In Yahoo, go to Settings, select "Blocked addresses," find their name, and click "Remove."

After you unblock someone, their old emails won't reappear in your inbox — only new messages they send you will arrive normally. If you want to see old emails from them, you'll need to search for them in your spam or trash folder, depending on where they went.

When blocking isn't enough

Blocking stops someone from emailing you, but it doesn't create a record with your email provider. If someone is harassing you or threatening you, save the emails and report them to your provider's abuse team in addition to blocking them. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo all have report buttons (usually marked as a flag or exclamation point) that let you flag messages as spam or abuse.

Reporting creates a record that the provider can use to investigate and potentially shut down the person's account if they're violating the service's terms. Blocking alone just protects your inbox; reporting helps protect other people from the same person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

No, they won't get a notification that you blocked them. However, if they try to email you and never get a response, they might suspect it. Some people test whether they're blocked by sending a message and watching for a delivery failure, but most email providers don't send a "delivery failed" notice to the sender when someone is blocked.

Will blocking delete old emails from this person?

No. Blocking only affects new emails. Any messages you received from them before the block will stay in your inbox, trash, or spam folder depending on where you filed them. You can delete them manually if you want them gone.

What if someone blocks me — will I know?

You won't get a notification, but you might notice if your emails to them stop getting responses. Some people send a test email to see if it bounces back, but most email providers don't confirm blocks to the sender. The safest assumption is that if someone stops responding, they may have blocked you or straightforward don't want to talk.

Can I block an entire domain instead of one person?

Gmail and Outlook don't have a built-in domain block feature, but you can create a filter that catches emails from any address ending in a specific domain. In Gmail, create a filter with "From: @domain.com" and set it to delete or archive. In Outlook, you'd need to block individual addresses or use third-party email filtering tools.

If I block someone, can they still see my calendar or contacts?

Blocking only affects email. It doesn't hide your calendar, contacts, or other information you've shared through Google, Microsoft, or Yahoo services. If you want to prevent someone from seeing your calendar or other details, you'll need to adjust those settings separately in each service.