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 menu. Gmail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically.

That is the complete process. Once blocked, you will not see emails from that address in your inbox, and Gmail will not send you notifications when they arrive. The sender will not know they are blocked — their emails straightforward go to your spam folder.

If you have already deleted the email, you can still block the sender by going to Settings, clicking the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, and entering their email address manually. The result is the same either way.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking an email address takes one click from any email that person sent you — open it, click the three dots, and select Block.
  • Blocked senders' emails go to spam automatically, and you will not receive notifications when they arrive.
  • You can block someone even if you have already deleted their email by going to Settings and adding their address to your blocked list manually.
  • Blocking is permanent until you unblock them, which you can do from the same Filters and Blocked Addresses tab in Settings.
  • The sender cannot tell they are blocked, and blocking only affects your account — it does not prevent them from sending the email.

Blocking from the settings menu instead

If you want to block someone without opening their email, go to your Gmail 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" and click "Create filter." Gmail will now send all emails from that address straight to trash.

This method works the same as the three-dot menu, but it lets you block someone before they email you if you know their address ahead of time. You can also use this to block entire domains — for example, entering @company.com would block everyone with an email address from that company.

Unblocking an email address

Go to Settings and click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section. Find the address you want to unblock and click the delete icon (trash can) next to it. The address is now unblocked, and their emails will return to your inbox normally.

Unblocking does not retrieve old emails from that sender — those remain in spam or trash depending on where they went. Future emails from that address will arrive in your inbox like any other message.

What happens to emails after you block someone

When you block an email address using the three-dot menu, Gmail moves that sender's emails to your spam folder. You can still see them if you go to Spam and search for their address, but they will not appear in your inbox or trigger notifications.

If you block someone using the Filters and Blocked Addresses method with the "Delete it" option, their emails go to trash instead of spam. The difference is minor — both keep them out of your inbox. Spam is easier to recover from if you change your mind, since Gmail keeps spam for 30 days. Trash also keeps messages for 30 days before permanently deleting them.

Blocking someone who uses multiple email addresses

If someone is emailing you from different addresses, you will need to block each one separately. Open an email from the new address and use the three-dot menu to block it. Repeat this for each address they use.

If the addresses follow a pattern — for example, firstname.lastname@company.com and firstname.lastname@otherdomain.com — you can block the entire domain using the Filters and Blocked Addresses method. Type @company.com in the "From" field and create a filter. This blocks everyone from that domain, not just the person you are trying to avoid.

Be careful with domain blocking if you have legitimate reasons to receive emails from that company. A more precise approach is to create a filter that blocks only emails containing specific words in the subject line or body, so you can block one person's emails without blocking the entire organization.

Blocking on mobile devices

On the Gmail app for iPhone or Android, open an email from the person you want to block. Tap the three dots in the top right corner. Tap "Block [sender's name]." The process is identical to desktop Gmail.

If you are using the Gmail app and cannot find the block option, make sure you have the latest version installed. Older versions of the app may not have this feature. Update through your phone's app store and try again.

When blocking does not work as expected

If you block someone and their emails still appear in your inbox, they may be using a different email address. Check the sender's address carefully — it might look similar to their main address but have a slight variation. Block each address separately.

Another possibility is that the email arrived before you blocked them. Gmail only blocks future emails, not ones already in your inbox. If you see an old email from a blocked sender, you can delete it manually. Going forward, new emails from that address will go to spam.

If emails from a blocked address keep appearing in your inbox after several days, contact Gmail support. This is rare, but it can happen if there is a technical issue with your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I block see that I blocked them?

No. When you block someone, they have no way to know. Their emails straightforward go to your spam folder, and they receive no notification or bounce-back message. From their perspective, they sent the email normally.

Will blocking someone delete their old emails from my inbox?

No. Blocking only affects future emails. Any messages from that sender that are already in your inbox, spam folder, or trash will stay there. You can delete them manually if you want them gone, but blocking does not remove them automatically.

Can I block an email address temporarily and then unblock it later?

Yes. You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, clicking Filters and Blocked Addresses, finding their address in the blocked list, and clicking the delete icon. Once unblocked, their emails will arrive in your inbox normally again.

What is the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?

Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list, usually for newsletters or marketing emails. Blocking prevents all emails from a specific address from reaching your inbox. If you receive unwanted marketing emails, unsubscribe first — there is usually an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. Use blocking for personal harassment or spam that does not have an unsubscribe option.

Can I block emails based on subject line or content instead of sender address?

Yes, using filters. Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, and create a new filter. In the "Subject" or "Has the words" field, enter the text you want to filter. Then select "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox" to keep those emails out of your main view. This is useful for blocking emails about specific topics without blocking the sender entirely.