Blocking someone in Outlook stops their emails from reaching your inbox

When you block a sender in Outlook, their messages go directly to your Junk folder instead of your inbox. You won't see notifications when they email you, and you won't receive meeting invitations from them. The person who is blocked does not get a notification that you blocked them — the email straightforward fails to deliver on their end, or they may see a bounce-back message depending on their email provider.

Blocking works the same way across Outlook.com (the free web version), Outlook desktop, and Outlook on mobile devices. Once you block someone, that block applies to all your devices automatically if you use the same account.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders' emails go to your Junk folder, and you receive no notifications from them.
  • You can block someone from a single email by right-clicking it and selecting "Block" or by opening the message and using the Block option in the toolbar.
  • Your blocked senders list is stored in your account settings and syncs across all devices using that account.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, finding the blocked senders list, and removing their address.
  • Blocking only affects email — it does not prevent someone from calling you, texting you, or contacting you through other apps.

How to block someone from an email in Outlook.com or Outlook desktop

The fastest way to block someone is directly from the email they sent you. In Outlook.com, open the message and look for the three dots (more options) button in the top right corner of the email. Click it and select "Block". In Outlook desktop, right-click the sender's name or email address in the message and choose "Block Sender" from the menu.

If you want to block someone without opening their email, you can right-click their message in your inbox list and select "Block" or "Block Sender" depending on your version. The sender's address is added to your blocked list when ready.

How to block someone on Outlook mobile

On the Outlook mobile app for iPhone or Android, open an email from the person you want to block. Tap the three dots at the top right of the message. Select "Block Sender" from the menu that appears. The sender is added to your blocked list right away.

If you receive multiple emails from the same person, you only need to block them once. All future emails from that address will go to Junk.

How to view and manage your blocked senders list

To see who you have blocked or to remove someone from your blocked list, go to your Outlook settings. In Outlook.com, click the gear icon in the top right, then select "View all Outlook settings". Go to "Mail" and then "Junk email". You will see a section called "Blocked senders" with a list of all addresses you have blocked.

In Outlook desktop, go to File, then Options, then Trust Center, then Trust Center Settings, then Junk Email. Click the "Blocked Senders" tab to see your list. To remove someone from the blocked list, select their address and click "Remove".

On mobile, go to Settings within the Outlook app, then find "Junk Email" or "Blocked Senders" (the exact name varies by device). You can view and remove blocked addresses from there.

What happens when you block someone

Once someone is blocked, their emails no longer appear in your inbox. Instead, they go straight to your Junk folder. You will not receive a notification when they email you, so you will not know they sent a message unless you check your Junk folder.

If the blocked person tries to send you a meeting invitation, it will not appear in your calendar. If they try to share a file or document with you through Outlook, that sharing request will not go through. However, blocking only affects Outlook — it does not stop them from reaching you through text message, phone call, or other apps.

When to unblock someone

You can unblock someone at any time by going back to your blocked senders list and removing their address. Once you unblock them, their future emails will return to your inbox normally. 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.

If you unblock someone by mistake, you can block them again using the same steps. There is no limit to how many times you can block and unblock addresses.

Alternatives to blocking if you want to stay in touch

If you want to reduce contact from someone without completely blocking them, you can create an email rule instead. Rules let you automatically move emails from a specific sender to a folder, mark them as read, or flag them for later. This way you can still see that they emailed you, but their messages do not clutter your main inbox.

You can also use Outlook's "Focused Inbox" feature, which learns which emails matter to you and separates the rest into an "Other" tab. This is less aggressive than blocking and gives you the option to check messages later if you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person I blocked know that I blocked them?

No. The blocked person will not receive a notification from Outlook that you blocked them. Their email may bounce back with a delivery failure message, or it may appear to send successfully depending on their email provider — but they will not see a message saying you blocked them.

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

In Outlook.com, you can add a domain to your blocked senders list by typing it in the format @example.com. In Outlook desktop, you can only block individual email addresses, not entire domains. If you need to block a whole domain on desktop, you may need to create a rule instead.

What if someone uses a different email address to contact me after I block them?

Blocking only affects the specific email address you blocked. If they email you from a different address, those messages will go to your inbox normally. You can block additional addresses one at a time as they contact you.

Does blocking someone in Outlook also block them on Teams or Skype?

No. Blocking in Outlook only affects email. If you want to block someone on Microsoft Teams or Skype, you need to block them separately in those apps using their own blocking features.

Can I block someone if I have already deleted their email?

Yes. You can add an email address to your blocked list even if you have deleted the message. Go to your blocked senders list in settings and type in the email address you want to block, then save it.