Yes, you can block an email address in Gmail, and it takes one click
Open the email from the sender you want to block. Look for the three vertical dots (called the menu button) in the top right corner of the email. Click it, then select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will when ready send all future emails from that address to your spam folder.
Once you block someone, you won't see their emails in your inbox anymore — they go straight to spam. You can still find them in your spam folder if you need to, but Gmail won't notify you when they arrive. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them the same way.
Key Takeaways
- Blocked emails go to your spam folder automatically, and you won't receive notifications about them.
- The block button is in the three-dot menu at the top right of any email message.
- Blocking only affects emails from that specific address — if the sender uses a different email, those messages won't be blocked.
- You can unblock a sender at any time by going to Settings and finding them in your blocked addresses list.
- Blocking is different from unsubscribing; unsubscribe removes you from mailing lists, while blocking stops all mail from one person.
Where to find the block button
When you open an email in Gmail, the three-dot menu sits in the top right corner, next to the back arrow. Click it and you'll see several options, including "Block [sender's name]" near the bottom of the list. The exact wording changes based on who sent the email, but it always says "Block" followed by their name or email address.
If you're looking at your inbox list (not opened to read the full email), you can also right-click on the email and select "Block" from the context menu. This does the same thing without opening the message first.
What happens after you block someone
All emails from that address will land in your spam folder from that moment forward. Gmail doesn't send you a notification when blocked emails arrive — they straightforward bypass your inbox. The sender won't know they've been blocked; their email will appear to send normally on their end.
The blocked email stays in your spam folder for 30 days before Gmail deletes it automatically. If you need to see what a blocked sender wrote, you can check your spam folder anytime. Blocking doesn't delete emails that already arrived before you blocked them; those stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself.
How to unblock an email address
Go to Gmail Settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right corner of your inbox, then select "See all settings." Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section and you'll see a list of everyone you've blocked. Next to each blocked address, click "Unblock" to restore their emails to your inbox.
Once you unblock someone, their future emails will arrive normally again. Unblocking doesn't recover emails they sent while they were blocked — those remain in spam. If you want to see those old messages, you'll need to go to your spam folder and move them back to your inbox manually.
Blocking versus unsubscribing
Blocking and unsubscribing do different things. When you unsubscribe from an email (usually by clicking an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of a marketing email), you're asking to be removed from that mailing list. The sender stops sending you emails, but they could theoretically add you back later. Blocking is stronger — it stops all mail from that address regardless of whether they're sending newsletters or personal messages.
Use unsubscribe for legitimate marketing emails you no longer want. Use block for spam, harassment, or emails from people you don't want to hear from at all. Many marketing emails have an unsubscribe link; if an email doesn't, blocking is the right choice.
What blocking doesn't protect against
Blocking one email address only stops messages from that exact address. If someone has multiple email accounts, they can still email you from a different one. Blocking also doesn't stop emails from people who use similar addresses — for example, blocking john@example.com won't block john.smith@example.com or johnsmith@example.com.
If you're dealing with someone who keeps creating new addresses to contact you, blocking each one individually becomes tedious. In that case, consider using Gmail's filter feature to automatically send emails containing certain words or phrases to spam, or contact Gmail support if the behavior constitutes harassment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person I blocked know I blocked them?
No. The sender won't receive any notification that you've blocked them. Their email will appear to send successfully on their end, but it will land in your spam folder instead of your inbox. There's no way for them to know unless you tell them.
Can I block emails from an entire domain?
Gmail's block feature only works on individual email addresses, not entire domains. If you want to block all emails from a domain like spam@company.com, you'll need to create a filter instead. Go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses," then "Create a new filter" and enter the domain name.
What if I blocked someone by mistake?
Go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses," find the person in your blocked list, and click "Unblock." Their future emails will arrive in your inbox again. Emails they sent while blocked remain in spam unless you move them back manually.
Does blocking on Gmail block them on other Google services?
No. Blocking someone in Gmail only affects email. They can still contact you through Google Meet, Google Chat, or other Google services if you're connected there. You'd need to block them separately in those services if you want to prevent contact across the board.
Can I block emails based on subject line or content?
Not with the block feature — that only works on sender addresses. To filter emails by subject or content, use Gmail's filter system instead. Go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses," then "Create a new filter" and set your criteria. You can send matching emails to spam automatically.