Block a sender in Outlook to stop their messages from reaching your inbox

When you block someone in Outlook, their emails go straight to your Junk folder instead of your inbox. You will not see a notification that they sent you anything. The person who is blocked does not know they are blocked — the email appears to send normally on their end, but you never see it arrive.

Blocking works the same way whether you use Outlook on the web, Outlook on your computer, or Outlook on your phone. The block applies to that sender's email address specifically. If they email you from a different address, those messages will still reach your inbox unless you block that address too.

You can unblock someone at any time, and blocked messages stay in your Junk folder — they do not reappear in your inbox when you unblock them.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked emails go to your Junk folder, not your inbox, and you will not be notified when they arrive.
  • You can block someone from an open email, from your inbox list, or from your contacts — the method depends on where you are in Outlook.
  • Blocking one email address does not block other addresses the same person might use.
  • You can unblock someone by going to your Junk folder settings and removing their address from the blocked list.
  • If someone is harassing you, blocking is a first step, but you may also want to report the messages as phishing or junk before deleting them.

Block someone from an open email in Outlook

Open the email from the person you want to block. Look at the top of the message. You will see the sender's name and email address. Click on the three dots (the menu icon) next to their name or at the top right of the email.

A dropdown menu will appear. Select Block or Block sender — the exact wording depends on which version of Outlook you are using. Click it. Outlook will move that email to your Junk folder and add the sender to your blocked list.

If you do not see a Block option in the menu, look for Junk instead, then select Block sender from the submenu that appears.

Block someone from your inbox list

You can block someone without opening their email. In your inbox, right-click on an email from the person you want to block. A context menu will appear with several options.

Select Junk, then choose Block sender from the submenu. The sender will be added to your blocked list, and all their future emails will go to Junk. Any emails from them that are already in your inbox will stay there — blocking only affects new messages going forward.

Block someone from your contacts

If you have the person in your Outlook contacts, you can block them from there. Open your contacts and find the person's name. Click on their contact card to open it.

Look for the three dots menu at the top or bottom of the card. Select Block contact or Block. This adds them to your blocked list and sends their future emails to Junk.

Unblock someone in Outlook

To unblock someone, go to your Settings. The location varies by device: on the web, click the gear icon in the top right. On your computer, go to File, then Options. On your phone, tap the menu icon.

Look for Mail settings, then find Junk email or Blocked senders. You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click the X or Remove button next to their name. They will be removed from your blocked list when ready.

Once you unblock someone, their emails will no longer go to Junk automatically. However, any emails they sent while they were blocked will still be in your Junk folder — unblocking does not move old messages back to your inbox.

What happens to emails from blocked senders

When you block someone, Outlook does not delete their emails. Instead, it sends them to your Junk folder. You can still see them there if you need to review them later. This is useful if you block someone by mistake or if you need evidence of harassment.

Blocked emails stay in your Junk folder until you delete them manually or until Outlook automatically clears old junk messages (usually after 30 days, depending on your settings). If you want to delete a blocked sender's emails right away, go to Junk, select their messages, and click Delete.

Blocking versus reporting spam or phishing

Blocking is different from reporting. When you block someone, you stop seeing their emails, but Outlook does not know whether they are a scammer or just someone you do not want to hear from. When you report an email as junk or phishing, you tell Outlook's spam filters about it, which helps protect other users.

If an email looks like a scam — asking for passwords, money, or personal information — report it as phishing before you block it. Right-click the email, select Junk, then choose Report phishing or Report as phishing. This sends the message to Microsoft's security team. Then you can block the sender if you want to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. Their emails appear to send normally on their end. They will not receive a notification or bounce-back message saying they are blocked. The only way they would know is if they expected a reply from you and never got one.

What if someone blocks me on Outlook?

Your emails will still appear to send, but they will go to their Junk folder instead of their inbox. You will not know you are blocked unless they tell you or you notice they never reply to your messages.

If I block someone, will their old emails disappear from my inbox?

No. Blocking only affects new emails from that sender. Any messages they sent before you blocked them will stay in your inbox. You have to delete them manually if you want them gone.

Can I block an entire domain instead of just one email address?

Outlook does not have a built-in way to block all addresses from a domain at once. You have to block each email address individually. If you are getting many unwanted emails from the same company, block each address as they arrive, or consider creating a rule that sends all emails from that domain to Junk.

What is the difference between blocking and creating a rule?

Blocking is simpler and faster — one click and you are done. Rules are more flexible: you can set them to delete emails automatically, move them to a specific folder, or explore different actions based on keywords. For most situations, blocking is enough.