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 Settings (the gear icon in the top right), click "See all settings," go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, and enter the email address you want to block in the "Create a new filter" section. Then check "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox (Archive it)" and click "Create filter."
Key Takeaways
- The block button appears in the three-dot menu on any email from that sender, and it takes one click.
- Blocked emails go to spam automatically, but you can still read them if you open your spam folder.
- You can block an address even if you've deleted the original email by creating a filter in Settings.
- Blocking someone in Gmail does not notify them, and they won't know you've blocked their address.
- If someone uses a different email address, you'll need to block that address separately.
What happens when you block an email address
When you block a sender, Gmail sends their emails to your spam folder instead of your inbox. You won't get a notification when they send you something. The blocked sender cannot tell that you've blocked them—Gmail doesn't send them a message or flag their account.
The block only affects that specific email address. If the same person emails you from a different address, those emails will arrive normally in your inbox. You would need to block each address separately.
Blocked emails stay in your spam folder for 30 days before Gmail deletes them automatically. If you change your mind and want to read something from a blocked sender, you can find it in spam within that window.
Unblocking an email address if you change your mind
Go to Settings, then the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section and find the address you want to unblock. Click the X next to it. That sender's emails will now arrive in your inbox again.
Unblocking does not retrieve emails that were already sent to spam. Those stay in your spam folder unless you move them manually. Future emails from that address will come through normally.
Using filters instead of blocking for more control
Blocking is the simplest option, but filters give you more choices about what happens to someone's emails. You might want to send their messages to a specific label instead of spam, or delete them without seeing them at all.
To create a filter, go to Settings, then Filters and Blocked Addresses. Click "Create a new filter" and enter the sender's email address. You can also filter by subject line or keywords if you want to catch multiple senders or certain types of messages. Then choose what Gmail should do: delete, archive, mark as spam, explore a label, or skip the inbox.
Filters work on emails that arrive after you create them. They don't affect messages already in your inbox. If you want to organize old emails from someone, you'll need to search for them and move them manually.
Blocking multiple addresses at once
If you're getting emails from several addresses and want to block them all, create a filter using a wildcard. In the "From" field, enter something like *@unwanteddomain.com to block everyone from that entire domain. This works if all the senders share the same domain (the part after the @ symbol).
For unrelated addresses, you'll need to block or filter each one separately. There's no way to select multiple addresses and block them in one action through Gmail's interface.
When blocking isn't enough
If someone is harassing you or sending threatening messages, blocking is a good first step, but it may not be enough. Keep records of the emails—take screenshots or forward them to yourself with the full headers intact. If the harassment continues from new addresses, report it to Gmail by clicking the three dots on the email and selecting "Report phishing" or "Report spam."
For serious threats or harassment, contact local law enforcement. Email headers contain information about where a message came from, and police can work with Gmail and your internet provider to trace the sender if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person I blocked tell that I've blocked them?
No. Gmail doesn't notify blocked senders, and there's no way for them to know from Gmail's side. If they're trying to reach you and their emails disappear into spam, they might suspect something, but Gmail won't tell them you blocked them.
Will blocking someone remove their old emails from my inbox?
No. Blocking only affects new emails from that address. Any messages already in your inbox, sent folder, or other labels stay where they are. If you want to delete or archive old emails from someone, you'll need to search for them and move them manually.
What's the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?
Unsubscribe removes you from a mailing list—usually a newsletter or marketing email—and the sender's future emails may still arrive if they send them manually. Blocking sends all emails from that address to spam automatically. Use unsubscribe for legitimate mailing lists; use blocking for unwanted senders.
If I block someone and then unblock them, will I see the emails they sent while I was blocking them?
No. Emails sent while the address was blocked go to spam and stay there. Unblocking only affects future emails. If you want to read old messages from that sender, go to your spam folder and move them back to your inbox manually.
Can I block an email address on Gmail on my phone?
Yes. Open the email, tap the three dots at the top, and select "Block [sender]." The process is the same on the Gmail app for iPhone and Android as it is on a computer.