Block an email address in three steps

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three dots (more options) in the top right corner of the email. Select Block from the menu. Gmail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically.

Once blocked, emails from that address will skip your inbox and go straight to your spam folder. You can unblock the address later if you change your mind — go to Settings, click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find the address, and click Unblock.

Blocking works on individual email addresses only. If someone uses a different address to contact you, that new address is not automatically blocked. You will need to block each address separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking sends future emails from that address to spam; it does not delete emails already in your inbox.
  • You can block from the email itself using the three-dot menu, or from Settings under Filters and Blocked Addresses.
  • Blocking one email address does not block similar addresses or accounts from the same person.
  • You can unblock an address at any time through your Gmail settings.

Block from the email or from settings

The fastest way is to open the unwanted email and use the three-dot menu. But if you have already deleted the email or want to block an address before receiving anything from it, use Gmail Settings instead.

Go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Click See all settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll to the bottom and click Create a new filter. Type the email address you want to block in the "From" field. Click Create filter. Check the box next to Delete it or Skip the inbox (Archive it), then click Create filter again.

This method also lets you block entire domains if you want to stop all emails from a company or service. In the "From" field, type the domain with an asterisk: *@example.com. All emails from any address at that domain will then go to spam.

What blocking does and does not do

Blocking stops future emails from reaching your inbox. It does not delete emails you have already received from that sender — those stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself. If you want to clean up old emails, search for the sender's address, select all their messages, and delete them.

Blocking also does not prevent the sender from knowing you blocked them. They will not receive a notification, but if they send you an email and never get a reply, they may figure it out. Blocking is not invisible to someone determined to contact you.

If the sender creates a new email address, that address is not blocked. You will receive emails from the new address unless you block it separately. This is why blocking works best for spam and unwanted services — determined people can always find a way around it.

Blocking versus reporting spam

Gmail offers two separate tools: Block and Report spam. Block stops one specific address from reaching you. Report spam tells Gmail that an email is unwanted and helps train Gmail's filters to catch similar messages for all users.

Use Block when you know the sender personally or when you want to stop a specific person or service. Use Report spam for unsolicited bulk email, phishing attempts, or scams. You can do both at once — report the email as spam and then block the address.

If you report spam without blocking, the email goes to your spam folder but future emails from that address may still reach your inbox. Blocking ensures they go to spam automatically.

Unblock an address if you change your mind

Go to Settings and click See all settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the section labeled Blocked addresses. Find the address you want to unblock and click the Delete button next to it.

Once you unblock an address, emails from that sender will go back to your inbox like normal. Any emails that arrived while the address was blocked will still be in your spam folder — unblocking does not move them back.

Block addresses on your phone

Open the Gmail app on your Android or iPhone. Find the email from the sender you want to block. Tap the three dots in the top right. Select Block. Confirm by tapping Block again.

The process is the same on both Android and iPhone. Blocking on your phone syncs with your Gmail account, so the address is blocked across all your devices. If you block someone on your phone, they are blocked in the web version too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block someone without opening their email?

Yes. Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, and create a new filter with the sender's address in the "From" field. You do not need to receive an email from them first.

Will the blocked person know I blocked them?

No notification is sent. However, if they email you and never hear back, they may suspect something. Blocking is not a secret — it just prevents their emails from reaching you.

Can I block an entire company or domain?

Yes. In the filter's "From" field, type *@companyname.com. All emails from any address at that domain will go to spam. This works for any domain you want to block.

What happens to emails I already received from a blocked address?

They stay in your inbox. Blocking only affects future emails. If you want to remove old emails from a blocked sender, search for their address and delete the messages yourself.

Can I block someone who uses a different email address each time?

You can block each address individually, but Gmail cannot automatically block all addresses from the same person. If someone is harassing you from multiple addresses, consider reporting the emails as spam and blocking each address as it appears.