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 then send all future emails from that address to your spam folder automatically.

That's the complete process. Once blocked, you won't see notifications for their emails, and they won't appear in your inbox. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them using the same menu — just open a blocked email from spam and select "Unblock."

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking an email address takes three clicks: open the email, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender's name]."
  • Blocked emails go to your spam folder, not deleted, so you can review them later if needed.
  • The block applies only to that exact email address — if someone uses a different address, it won't be blocked.
  • You can unblock an address anytime by opening one of their emails from spam and selecting "Unblock."

What happens when you block an email address

When you block someone, Gmail routes their emails to your spam folder instead of your inbox. You won't receive notifications about their messages, and they won't show up in your unread count. The emails still exist in your spam folder — they're not permanently deleted — so you can review them if you need to later.

The person who is blocked won't know they've been blocked. Gmail doesn't send them a notification, and they won't see a delivery failure message. From their perspective, their emails appear to send normally, but you straightforward won't see them.

Blocking someone who uses multiple email addresses

If someone is contacting you from several different email addresses, you'll need to block each address separately. Gmail's block feature works on a per-address basis, not by person or domain. So if a person emails you from work.email@company.com and also personal.email@gmail.com, blocking one won't block the other.

Go through your inbox or spam folder and block each address individually using the same three-dot menu method. If you notice a pattern — for example, all addresses end with the same company domain — you might consider using Gmail's filter feature instead, which can catch emails from an entire domain at once. However, filters require a bit more setup than the block button.

Using filters for more control

If blocking isn't quite what you need, Gmail's filter feature gives you more options. Filters let you automatically delete emails, send them to spam, or organize them into folders based on sender address, subject line, or keywords. To create a filter, click the search box at the top of Gmail, then click the three-dot menu and select "Create filter."

Filters are useful if you want to block an entire email domain (like all addresses ending in @unwanteddomain.com) rather than just one address. They're also helpful if you want to automatically sort emails into a specific folder instead of sending them to spam. Once you set up a filter, it applies to all future emails matching those criteria — past emails won't be affected.

Recovering blocked emails if you need them

Blocked emails sit in your spam folder indefinitely. To find them, go to your spam folder and search for the sender's name or address. Gmail keeps spam for 30 days by default, then deletes it automatically, so if you need to recover an email from someone you blocked, check your spam folder within that window.

If you realize you blocked someone by mistake, open one of their emails from spam, click the three-dot menu, and select "Unblock." Once unblocked, their future emails will return to your inbox normally. Any emails that arrived while they were blocked will remain in your spam folder — unblocking doesn't move them back to your inbox automatically.

When blocking might not be enough

Blocking works well for unwanted emails from people you know or regular spam. However, if you're receiving threatening messages, harassment, or emails related to fraud, blocking alone may not be sufficient. In those cases, you should also report the email to Gmail by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting "Report phishing" or "Report spam," depending on the type of message.

If the harassment is severe or ongoing, consider reporting it to law enforcement or the platform where the person contacted you originally. Gmail's block feature is designed to filter unwanted mail, not to provide legal protection against harassment or threats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them in Gmail?

No. Gmail doesn't notify the sender that they've been blocked. Their emails will appear to send successfully from their end, but you won't receive them. They have no way to know unless they contact you through another method and you tell them.

If I block someone, will old emails from them disappear?

No. Blocking only affects future emails. Any messages from that person that are already in your inbox or other folders will stay there. Only new emails from the blocked address will go to spam.

What's the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?

Unsubscribe removes you from a mailing list — usually for newsletters or marketing emails — and the sender controls that option. Blocking is something you control and stops all emails from a specific address. Use unsubscribe for legitimate mailing lists and block for unwanted personal contact.

Can I block an email address on Gmail mobile?

Yes. Open the email, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, and select "Block [sender's name]." The process is the same on the Gmail app for iPhone and Android as it is on desktop.

Will blocking stop emails from someone who keeps creating new addresses?

No. Each new address has to be blocked separately. If someone is repeatedly creating new addresses to contact you, blocking becomes impractical. In that case, consider using a filter to catch emails with specific keywords, or report the behavior to Gmail as harassment.