The fastest way to block an email address 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 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 scroll to "Create a new filter." Type the email address you want to block, click "Create filter," then check "Delete it" and click "Create filter" again. This sends future emails from that address straight to trash instead of spam.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking an email address takes one click from any email that sender has written to you.
  • Blocked emails go to spam, not deleted, so you can still retrieve them if you change your mind.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, and clicking "unblock" next to their name.
  • Blocking only affects your account — the sender won't know they're blocked and won't receive a notification.
  • If someone is harassing you across multiple email addresses, you may need to block each address separately.

What happens when you block someone

When you block an email address, Gmail routes all future messages from that sender to your spam folder. The sender does not receive a bounce-back message or any notification that you've blocked them. From their perspective, the email straightforward goes through as usual.

You retain the ability to see blocked emails if you open your spam folder. This is useful if you block someone by mistake or if the person later sends something you need to retrieve. Blocking is not permanent — you can unblock the address whenever you want.

Unblocking an email address

To unblock someone, go to Gmail Settings (gear icon, top right), then click "See all settings." Navigate to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section, find the email address you want to unblock, and click the "unblock" link next to it. The change takes effect when ready.

Once unblocked, emails from that sender will no longer go to spam automatically. They'll arrive in your inbox like any other message. If you've received many emails from them while they were blocked, those messages will still be in your spam folder — unblocking doesn't move old emails back to your inbox.

When blocking isn't enough

If someone is sending you threatening, abusive, or sexually explicit messages, blocking the email address is a first step but may not be sufficient. Save copies of the messages before you block the sender — take screenshots or read the emails as files. These records may be useful if you need to report the behavior to law enforcement or your workplace.

If the person creates new email addresses to contact you after you block them, you'll need to block each address separately. If this pattern continues, consider reporting the sender to Gmail. Click the three dots on one of their emails and select "Report phishing" or "Report spam." Gmail reviews these reports and may take action against accounts that repeatedly harass users.

For severe harassment, contact your local police department or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov. Keep a log of when messages arrived, what they said, and which addresses sent them.

Blocking email on mobile devices

The Gmail app on iPhone and Android works the same way as the web version. Open an email from the sender you want to block, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select "Block [sender's name]." The app will ask you to confirm — tap "Block" again, and the sender's future emails go to spam.

If you're using Gmail through a different email app (like Outlook or Apple Mail), the blocking process may differ. Those apps have their own spam and blocking settings. Check the app's help menu or settings for instructions specific to that program.

Blocking versus unsubscribing

Blocking and unsubscribing are different actions. Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list — it tells the sender's system to stop sending you emails. Most legitimate marketing emails include an unsubscribe link at the bottom. Blocking, by contrast, sends all emails from an address to spam regardless of whether they're part of a mailing list.

If you receive unwanted marketing emails, unsubscribing is usually the right choice. It signals to the sender that you don't want their messages, and they're legally required to honor the request within a few days. Blocking is better for emails from people you know personally or for senders who don't respect unsubscribe requests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I block see that I've blocked them?

No. The sender won't receive any notification that you've blocked them. Their emails straightforward go to your spam folder without any feedback to them. They may eventually realize you're not responding, but Gmail doesn't tell them why.

What if I block someone by mistake?

Go to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, find the address in the "Blocked addresses" section, and click "unblock." The change is when ready. Any emails they sent while blocked will still be in your spam folder, but new emails will arrive in your inbox normally.

Can I block an entire domain instead of just one email address?

Gmail's block feature works on individual email addresses only. If you want to block all emails from a company domain (like @example.com), you'll need to create a filter. Go to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, create a new filter with the domain in the "From" field, and set it to delete or skip the inbox. This blocks all addresses from that domain.

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

No. Blocking an email address in Gmail only affects Gmail. The person can still contact you through Google Meet, Google Chat, YouTube, or other Google services. You would need to block them separately in those apps if you want to prevent contact there too.

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

Block each new address as it arrives. If this becomes a pattern, report the sender to Gmail by clicking the three dots and selecting "Report phishing." Document the dates and addresses involved. For serious harassment, contact your local police or the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov.