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

  • Blocking sends all future emails from that address to spam automatically, without notifications.
  • You can block someone from any email they've sent you by opening it and clicking the three-dot menu.
  • Blocked emails still exist in your spam folder if you need to read them later.
  • Unblocking is just as straightforward: go to Settings, find the blocked address, and remove it from the list.
  • Blocking one email address does not block similar addresses — if someone uses multiple accounts, you may need to block each one separately.

Where to find your blocked senders list

Your blocked addresses live in Gmail Settings. Click the gear icon in the top right of Gmail, then select "See all settings." Go to the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section to see everyone you've blocked.

This list is useful if you want to unblock someone or check whether you've already blocked an address. You can remove someone from the blocked list by clicking the X next to their name. Once you unblock them, their emails will start arriving in your inbox again instead of spam.

Blocking someone without opening their email

You don't have to open an email to block the sender. In your inbox list, hover over the email from the person you want to block. A trash icon and a three-dot menu will appear on the right side of that email. Click the three dots and select "Block [sender's name]."

This method is faster if you recognize the sender's name and don't want to read what they wrote. The email goes to spam when ready, and you won't see future messages from them.

What happens after you block someone

Blocked senders' emails arrive in your spam folder instead of your inbox. You won't get a notification on your phone or computer when they write. If you check your spam folder manually, you can still read their messages — blocking doesn't delete them.

The person who is blocked has no way of knowing you blocked them. Gmail doesn't send them a notification, and their emails don't bounce back to them. From their perspective, they're sending normally; they just won't know whether you're reading their messages.

Blocking email addresses that look similar to real ones

Scammers sometimes use addresses that look almost like legitimate ones — for example, "paypa1.com" instead of "paypal.com" or "amaz0n.com" instead of "amazon.com." Blocking one fake address doesn't protect you from the others because each is technically a different sender.

If you receive multiple phishing or scam emails, block each address individually as it arrives. You can also report them as spam or phishing before blocking. Click the three dots, select "Report phishing" or "Report spam," and then block the address. This helps Gmail's filters recognize similar messages from other users.

Unblocking someone if you change your mind

Go to Settings (gear icon, then "See all settings"), click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab, and scroll to "Blocked addresses." Find the person's email address and click the X next to it. They're now unblocked, and their future emails will go to your inbox normally.

Unblocking doesn't recover old emails they sent while they were blocked — those remain in your spam folder. You can move them back to your inbox manually if you want to keep them, or leave them in spam.

Using filters instead of blocking for more control

Blocking is the simplest option, but Gmail's filters give you more choices. You can create a filter that sends emails from someone to a specific folder, marks them as read automatically, or adds a label without sending them to spam.

To create a filter, click the search box at the top of Gmail and then click the three dots on the right side of the search box. Select "Create filter." Enter the sender's email address and choose what you want Gmail to do with their messages — delete them, archive them, mark them as spam, or organize them into a folder. Filters are useful if you want to keep someone's emails but out of your main inbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them on Gmail?

No. Gmail doesn't notify the blocked person, and their emails don't bounce back to them. They won't receive any signal that you blocked them unless you tell them directly.

What's the difference between blocking and reporting as spam?

Blocking sends that specific sender's emails to spam. Reporting as spam also sends the email to spam and tells Gmail's filters that this type of message is unwanted, which helps protect other Gmail users. You can do both at once.

If I block someone, can they still see my emails if they're in my contacts?

Blocking only affects emails they send to you. It doesn't prevent them from reading emails you've already sent them, and it doesn't stop you from sending them new emails if you choose to.

Do I have to block each email address separately if someone uses multiple accounts?

Yes. Blocking works on individual email addresses, not on people. If someone sends from gmail.com, yahoo.com, and outlook.com addresses, you need to block each one separately.

Can I block an entire domain, like all emails from a company?

Gmail's block feature works on individual addresses only. To block all emails from a domain, you can create a filter using the search box and set it to delete or spam all messages from anyone at that domain.