The fastest way to block someone in Gmail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more options) in the top right of the message. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the menu. 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 Settings (the gear icon in the top right), click "See all settings," then go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll to "Create a new filter" and type the email address you want to block, then check the box that says "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox (Archive it)."

Key Takeaways

  • The block button appears in the three-dot menu on any email, and it sends all future messages from that address to spam automatically.
  • Blocking someone does not delete their past emails — they stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself.
  • If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them in Settings under Filters and Blocked Addresses.
  • Blocking works on the email address itself, so if someone uses a different address, that new address is not automatically blocked.
  • Gmail does not notify the sender that you blocked them.

What happens after you block someone

Their emails land in spam, not in a separate "blocked" folder. This means you have to actively check your spam folder to see if they've written — they won't show up in your inbox or in notifications. If you use Gmail on your phone, you won't get a notification when a blocked sender emails you.

The block applies only to that specific email address. If the person creates a new Gmail account or uses a different email address, those messages won't be blocked automatically. You would need to block each address separately.

Unblocking someone if you change your mind

Go to Settings (gear icon, top right), then "See all settings." Click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section. Find the address you want to unblock and click the "Unblock" link next to it.

Once you unblock someone, their emails will no longer go to spam. They'll arrive in your inbox like any other sender. You can block them again at any time using the same three-dot menu method.

When blocking is not enough

If someone is sending you threatening, abusive, or harassing messages, blocking alone may not be enough. Gmail's block feature stops the emails from reaching your inbox, but it doesn't stop the sender from trying to contact you through other means or from other accounts.

If you're being harassed, consider reporting the email to Gmail before you block it. Open the message, click the three dots, and select "Report phishing" or "Report spam." This helps Gmail identify patterns of abuse and can lead to the sender's account being suspended if they're violating Gmail's terms of service.

For serious harassment or threats, keep records of the emails (screenshot or forward them to yourself in a separate folder) and consider reporting the behavior to local law enforcement or the platform where you first connected with this person.

Blocking email addresses versus blocking contacts

Blocking in Gmail works on email addresses, not on contact names. If you have someone saved in your contacts and you block their email address, they'll still appear in your contacts list — the block only affects incoming mail from that address.

If you want to remove someone from your contacts entirely, you can delete them separately. Open your contacts, find the person, click the three dots next to their name, and select "Delete." This removes them from your contacts but does not block their email address. You would need to block them separately if you want their emails to go to spam.

Blocking group emails and mailing lists

If you're receiving unwanted emails from a group or mailing list, blocking the sender address works the same way. However, if the group uses a shared email address that rotates or changes, blocking one address may not stop all emails from that group.

For mailing lists you've subscribed to, look for an "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email. Clicking it removes you from the list entirely, which is usually more effective than blocking. If there's no unsubscribe link and the emails are unwanted, you can block the sender address or create a filter to send those emails to spam automatically.

Creating filters for more control

Blocking sends emails to spam, but filters give you more options. Go to Settings, then Filters and Blocked Addresses, and click "Create a new filter." Type the sender's email address (or part of it, or a subject line, or keywords in the body).

In the next screen, you can choose what happens to matching emails: skip the inbox and archive them, delete them automatically, mark them as spam, or explore a label. This is useful if you want to organize unwanted emails into a folder rather than delete them, or if you want to filter based on something other than just the sender's address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. Gmail does not notify senders when you block them. They won't receive a bounce-back message or any indication that you've blocked their address. Their emails straightforward go to your spam folder, and they have no way of knowing whether you read them, blocked them, or deleted them.

If I block someone, do their old emails disappear?

No. Blocking only affects new emails from that sender. Any emails they sent you before you blocked them stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself. You can search for their name or address and delete past emails if you want to remove them.

What's the difference between blocking and reporting spam?

Blocking stops their emails from reaching your inbox. Reporting spam tells Gmail that the sender is abusive or fraudulent, which helps Gmail identify patterns and may lead to the sender's account being suspended. You can do both: report the email as spam, then block the address.

Can I block an email address that doesn't have a Gmail account?

Yes. You can block any email address, whether it's a Gmail address, a work email, or any other email provider. The block works the same way regardless of which service the sender uses.

If I block someone on Gmail, does that block them on other Google services?

No. Blocking in Gmail only affects email. It does not block them from contacting you through Google Meet, Google Chat, YouTube, or other Google services. You would need to block them separately in each service if you want to prevent contact across all platforms.