The fastest way to block someone in Gmail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more actions menu) in the top right of the email. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown. Gmail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically, and you won't see notifications when they write.

That's the complete process. Once blocked, emails from that address go straight to your spam folder. You can still see them if you check spam, but they won't clutter your inbox or trigger alerts on your phone.

If you've already deleted the email, you can still block the sender. Go to your spam folder, find an email from them, open it, and use the same three-dot menu to block.

Key Takeaways

  • Open any email from the sender, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block" — no settings or confirmation needed.
  • Blocked emails move to spam automatically; you won't see them in your inbox or get notifications.
  • You can unblock someone anytime by going to Settings, finding their address in the blocked list, and clicking unblock.
  • Blocking only affects your account; the sender doesn't know they're blocked and can still send emails that land in spam.
  • If someone uses multiple email addresses, you'll need to block each one separately.

Where to find your blocked senders list

Click the gear icon in the top right of Gmail and select "See all settings." Go to the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section — you'll see every address you've blocked on this account.

This list is useful if you want to unblock someone. Click "Unblock" next to their address, and their emails will stop going to spam. They'll start appearing in your inbox again if they send you something.

Gmail doesn't show you when you've blocked someone, so if you're unsure whether you blocked an address, this is where to check.

Blocking someone who uses multiple email addresses

If the person sends from different addresses (like work.email@company.com and personal.email@gmail.com), you need to block each one separately. Gmail blocks by exact email address, not by person.

The easiest way to catch all their addresses is to look at your spam folder after blocking the first one. If they keep emailing from new addresses, block each new one as it arrives. After a few blocks, they'll usually stop trying.

If someone is creating new addresses specifically to contact you after you've blocked them, that's harassment. You can report the behavior to Gmail by clicking the three dots on their email and selecting "Report phishing" or "Report spam" — this helps Gmail identify patterns of abuse.

What happens after you block someone

Their emails go to spam, and you won't get desktop or phone notifications when they send something. If you use Gmail's conversation view, their messages won't appear in your inbox threads. You can still see blocked emails if you open your spam folder and search for their address, but they won't interrupt your day.

The sender doesn't receive a notification that you've blocked them. They see no bounce-back message or delivery failure — their email straightforward arrives in your spam folder, and they have no way to know you blocked them unless you tell them.

If you change your mind, unblocking is when ready. Go back to Settings, find their address in the blocked list, and click unblock. The next email they send will land in your inbox normally.

Blocking vs. unsubscribing: which one to use

If you're getting unwanted emails from a company or service (newsletters, promotional emails, notifications), look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email. Click it to remove yourself from their mailing list. This is better than blocking because it tells the sender to stop, and they usually honor it.

Blocking is for people, not services. Use it when someone is sending you personal emails you don't want, or when you don't trust an address. Use unsubscribe when you signed up for something and now want out.

If an email has no unsubscribe link and it's not personal, mark it as spam instead of blocking. This trains Gmail's filters to catch similar emails in the future, even from new addresses.

Blocking on mobile Gmail

Open the email on your phone or tablet. Tap the three dots in the top right corner. Select "Block [sender's name]." The process is identical to desktop Gmail — the email goes to spam, and future messages from that address are filtered automatically.

You can also manage your blocked list on mobile. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll to "Settings," select your account, tap "Filters and Blocked Addresses," and scroll to the blocked addresses section. Unblocking works the same way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block an email address without opening an email from them?

No, Gmail requires you to open an email from that sender first. If you know someone's address but haven't received an email from them, you can't block it preemptively. You can create a filter instead: go to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, and click "Create a new filter." Enter their address and choose to skip inbox or delete automatically.

Will the person know I blocked them?

No. They won't receive a notification, bounce-back message, or any indication that you blocked them. Their email lands in your spam folder silently. They only know if you tell them or if they check your spam folder themselves (which they can't do).

Can I block an entire domain, like everyone at a company?

Gmail's block feature only works for individual email addresses. To block everyone from a domain, create a filter: go to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, click "Create a new filter," enter the domain (like @company.com), and choose to delete or skip inbox. This catches all emails from that domain.

What if I accidentally blocked someone I didn't mean to?

Go to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, find their address in the blocked list, and click "Unblock." Their emails will stop going to spam when ready. You may need to move their recent emails back to your inbox manually if you want to see them.

Does blocking on Gmail block them on other Google services?

No. Blocking in Gmail only affects Gmail. If you want to block someone on YouTube, Google Meet, or other Google services, you need to block them separately in each service. Gmail blocking doesn't carry over.