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 arrive.

That's the entire process. Once blocked, emails from that address go straight to your spam folder. You can unblock the person later by going to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses, finding their name, and clicking "Unblock".

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking someone in Gmail takes three clicks: open their email, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [name]".
  • Blocked emails go to spam automatically, and Gmail stops sending you notifications when they arrive.
  • You can unblock someone anytime through Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses.
  • Blocking only works on the email address itself — if someone creates a new Gmail account, you'll need to block that address separately.
  • The person you block won't be notified that you blocked them.

What happens when you block an email address

When you block someone, Gmail sends their emails to your spam folder instead of your inbox. You won't see a notification badge or alert when they send you a message. If you ever check your spam folder and see their email, you can still read it — blocking doesn't delete their old messages, it just stops new ones from reaching your inbox.

The block only affects that specific email address. If the person sends you a message from a different Gmail account or a different email service (like Yahoo or Outlook), those emails will still arrive in your inbox normally. You would need to block each address separately.

Blocking someone who hasn't emailed you yet

If you want to block someone before they've sent you an email, you can't use the three-dot menu method. Instead, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right) and select "See all settings". Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab at the top.

Scroll to the bottom and click "Create a new filter". Type the email address you want to block in the "From" field. Click "Create filter". On the next screen, check the box next to "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox (Archive it)". Then click "Create filter". Gmail will now treat emails from that address as spam or archive them automatically.

When blocking isn't enough

Blocking works well for most situations, but it has limits. If someone is harassing you from multiple email addresses, you'll spend time blocking each one. If the harassment is severe or involves threats, blocking alone may not be enough.

Gmail's "Report phishing or abuse" option (also in the three-dot menu) sends the email to Google's abuse team. Use this if someone is impersonating you, sending malware, or threatening you. Google takes these reports seriously and may take action against the account. You can also forward the email to abuse@gmail.com with details about what's happening.

Blocking email addresses from specific domains

If you're getting spam from many addresses at the same company or domain (like all emails ending in @spamcompany.com), you can create a filter that blocks the entire domain instead of individual addresses. Go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter. In the "From" field, type the domain with an asterisk: *@spamcompany.com. Then create the filter and choose to delete or archive emails from that domain.

This approach is useful for blocking newsletters you no longer want or spam that keeps coming from the same organization. Be careful with this method — make sure you actually want to block everyone from that domain, since you won't receive any emails from it afterward.

Unblocking someone later

If you blocked someone by mistake or want to receive their emails again, you can unblock them. Go to Settings (gear icon) and select "See all settings". Click "Filters and Blocked Addresses" at the top. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section and you'll see a list of everyone you've blocked.

Find the person's name or email address and click the "Unblock" button next to it. Gmail will when ready stop sending their emails to spam. Their next message will arrive in your inbox normally, and you'll get notifications again.

Blocking on Gmail's mobile app

The process is slightly different on the Gmail app for iPhone or Android. Open the email from the person you want to block. Tap the three dots in the top right corner. Tap "Block [sender's name]". Confirm by tapping "Block" on the popup that appears. The app will move their emails to spam from that point forward.

To unblock someone on mobile, open Gmail settings (tap the menu icon, then scroll down to "Settings"). Select your email account. Tap "Blocked addresses". Find the person you want to unblock and tap "Unblock".

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

No. Gmail doesn't notify someone when you block them. They won't receive a message or see any indication that you've blocked their address. If they send you an email, they won't know whether it reached your inbox or went to spam.

Can I block someone if they're in my contacts?

Yes. Blocking someone removes them from your contacts and stops their emails from reaching your inbox. You can block a contact the same way you'd block anyone else — open their email and use the three-dot menu.

What if someone keeps creating new email addresses to contact me?

Block each new address as it arrives. If the harassment is ongoing and severe, report it to Gmail's abuse team using the "Report phishing or abuse" option. You can also consider changing your email address if the harassment doesn't stop, though this is a last resort.

Does blocking someone on Gmail affect other Google services?

No. Blocking an email address in Gmail only affects Gmail. That person can still contact you through Google Meet, Google Chat, or other Google services. If you want to block them everywhere, you'll need to adjust privacy settings in each service separately.

Can I block emails with certain words or subjects?

Yes, using filters. Go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter. You can filter by subject line, keywords in the message body, or sender address. Set the filter to delete or archive emails that match those criteria.