Block a sender in Gmail in three steps

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the email, then select Block [sender's name]. Gmail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically.

You can also block a sender without opening their email. In your inbox list, hover over the email, click the three-dot menu, and choose Block [sender's name]. The result is the same — all future messages from that address go straight to your spam folder.

Once you block someone, you will not see their emails in your inbox, but Gmail keeps them in your spam folder for 30 days before deleting them. If you change your mind, you can unblock the sender at any time by returning to your blocked addresses list.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender takes one click from the three-dot menu on any of their emails.
  • Blocked emails go to spam automatically, but Gmail stores them for 30 days in case you need to review them.
  • Blocking only stops emails from that exact address — if a sender uses a different email, those messages will still reach your inbox.
  • You can unblock a sender anytime by going to Settings, opening the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, and clicking Unblock next to their name.

Where blocked emails go

When you block someone, Gmail sends their emails to your spam folder instead of your inbox. You can still see them if you open the spam folder and look for their name, which is useful if you blocked someone by mistake or need to check what they sent before you blocked them.

Gmail keeps blocked emails in spam for 30 days, then deletes them permanently. If you think you might need an email from a blocked sender later, open spam, find the message, and click Not spam to move it back to your inbox and unblock the sender at the same time.

Blocking does not stop all messages from that person

Blocking works only on the exact email address you block. If someone sends you mail from a different address — a work email, a personal account, or a new account they create — those messages will still arrive in your inbox normally. Blocking is address-specific, not person-specific.

If you are dealing with someone who keeps contacting you from multiple addresses, blocking each one individually is the only option Gmail offers. There is no wildcard block for all variations of a name or domain, so you will need to repeat the blocking process for each new address you receive.

How to unblock a sender

Go to Gmail Settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right, then select See all settings. Click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the Blocked addresses

Find the person you want to unblock and click Unblock next to their name. Their future emails will go to your inbox again instead of spam. This does not retrieve old emails they sent while they were blocked — those stay in spam unless you move them manually by searching for the sender's name.

Blocking versus other options

Muting is different from blocking. When you mute someone, their emails still arrive in your inbox, but Gmail hides them from your view and does not send you notifications. You can find muted emails by searching for the sender's name. Muting is useful when you want to keep emails but do not want to see them pop up constantly.

FilteringFilter messages like this, and choose what to do with matching emails.

Reporting spamReport spam.

What happens after you block someone

The sender will not receive a notification that you blocked them. They may notice if they never get a reply to their emails, but Gmail does not tell them you blocked their address. From their perspective, their emails straightforward disappear into the void with no confirmation of delivery.

If the blocked sender tries to contact you through a different email address, you will see those messages normally in your inbox. They can also contact you through other platforms like social media, text, or phone — blocking in Gmail does not affect those channels at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block an entire email domain?

Gmail does not have a built-in feature to block all emails from a domain like @company.com. You must block individual email addresses. If you receive many unwanted emails from the same domain, you can create a filter that automatically deletes or archives all messages from addresses ending in that domain name.

What if I accidentally blocked someone I need to hear from?

Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, find their name in the blocked list, and click Unblock. Their emails will start arriving in your inbox again. Any emails they sent while blocked are still in your spam folder — search for their name there to find them.

Does blocking someone on Gmail block them on other Google services?

No. Blocking in Gmail only affects email. If you use Google Meet, Google Chat, or other Google services, that person can still contact you through those platforms. You would need to block them separately in each service if you want to prevent contact everywhere.

Can I see who I have blocked?

Yes. Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, and scroll to the Blocked addresses section. You will see a complete list of everyone you have blocked. You can unblock anyone from this list with one click.

Will blocking stop emails if someone uses a forwarding service?

If someone forwards emails to you through a service like a mailing list or an automated system, blocking the original sender may not stop the forwarded emails because they arrive from the forwarding service's address instead. You would need to block the forwarding service's address or unsubscribe from the list directly.