The fastest way to block an email address

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more options) in the top right corner of the email. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the menu. Gmail will then send all future emails from that address to your spam folder automatically.

That is the entire process. Once blocked, you will not see new messages from that person in your inbox, and they will not receive a notification that you blocked them. If you change your mind later, you can unblock the address the same way — open the three dots menu and select "Unblock."

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking an email address takes three clicks: open the email, click the three dots, and select "Block [sender's name]."
  • Blocked emails go to your spam folder, not deleted, so you can review them later if needed.
  • The sender does not know they are blocked and will not receive a bounce-back message.
  • You can unblock an address at any time by finding a blocked email in spam and clicking "Unblock" in the three dots menu.
  • Blocking works only on the email address itself — if someone sends from a different address, that message will still reach your inbox.

What happens to blocked emails

When you block someone, Gmail automatically sends their emails to your spam folder. The emails are not deleted — they stay in spam for 30 days before Gmail removes them permanently. You can still read them if you need to, and you can move them back to your inbox if you decide to unblock the sender.

The blocked person does not receive any notification. Gmail does not send them a bounce-back message or tell them their email was rejected. From their perspective, the email straightforward goes through as normal. They may notice you are not replying, but they will not know you blocked them.

Blocking does not work across different email addresses

If someone sends you emails from multiple addresses, you need to block each one separately. Blocking john.smith@company.com does not block john.smith@gmail.com or any other variation. This is important to know if you are dealing with someone who might switch addresses to get around the block.

If you notice the same person is contacting you from multiple addresses, you may want to consider reporting the emails as spam or harassment instead of just blocking. Gmail's spam reporting helps train the system to catch similar behavior from that sender in the future.

Unblocking an email address

To unblock someone, go to your spam folder and find an email from that person. Click the three dots menu and select "Unblock [sender's name]." Their future emails will then go back to your inbox normally.

If you do not have any emails from the blocked person in your spam folder (because they have not sent anything since you blocked them), you can also unblock them through Gmail settings. Go to Settings, click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find the address in the blocked list, and click "Unblock" next to it.

When blocking is not enough

Blocking works well for unwanted emails from people you know or regular spam. It does not stop someone from contacting you through other channels — text, phone, social media, or a different email address. If someone is harassing you across multiple platforms, blocking email alone will not solve the problem.

If you are experiencing harassment, threats, or unwanted contact that feels unsafe, consider reporting it to the platform where it is happening and, if necessary, to local law enforcement. Gmail's block feature is a privacy tool, not a security tool for serious situations.

Using Gmail filters for more control

Blocking sends emails to spam, but filters give you more options. You can create a filter that automatically deletes emails from someone, archives them, or labels them without sending them to spam. To set up a filter, open an email from that person, click the three dots, and select "Filter messages like this."

Filters are useful if you want emails from someone to disappear automatically but do not want them cluttering your spam folder. You can also use filters to organize emails by topic or sender before they reach your inbox, which is helpful if you receive a lot of mail from a particular group or company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the person know I blocked them?

No. Gmail does not notify the sender that you blocked them, and their emails do not bounce back. They will not receive any message saying their email was rejected or that you blocked them. They may notice you are not responding, but they will not know the reason why.

Can I block an email address on my phone?

Yes. Open the email in the Gmail app, tap the three dots at the top right, and select "Block [sender's name]." The process is the same on Android and iPhone. Blocking on your phone blocks the address across all your devices because Gmail stores the block in your account settings.

What if someone keeps emailing me from new addresses?

You will need to block each address separately. If this is happening repeatedly, report the emails as spam or phishing. You can also create a filter that catches emails containing certain words or phrases in the subject line, which can catch messages from the same person even if they use different addresses.

Can I block someone without opening their email?

Not directly from the inbox list. You need to open the email first to access the three dots menu where the block option appears. However, you can right-click on the sender's name in the inbox and sometimes see a block option, depending on your Gmail version and device.

If I unblock someone, will old emails come back to my inbox?

No. Unblocking only affects future emails. The emails that were sent to spam while the address was blocked will stay in your spam folder. You can manually move them back to your inbox if you want to read them, but they will not automatically reappear.