Block a sender in Hotmail's web version

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three dots (more actions menu) at the top right of the message. Select Block from the dropdown menu. Hotmail will move that sender's future messages to your Junk folder automatically.

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 by going to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders and removing the address from the list.

Key Takeaways

  • The Block button appears in the three-dot menu at the top right of any email message in Hotmail's web version.
  • Blocked senders' emails go to your Junk folder, and you receive no notifications from them.
  • You can view and remove blocked addresses anytime in Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders.
  • Blocking works only on the device and browser where you set it; if you use Hotmail on your phone, you may need to block the sender there separately.
  • If a blocked sender creates a new email address, their messages from that address will not be blocked automatically.

Find your blocked senders list

Go to the Settings gear icon in the top right corner of Hotmail and select View all Outlook settings. Click Mail in the left sidebar, then scroll down to Junk email. You'll see a section called Blocked senders with a list of every address you've blocked.

From this list, you can remove any blocked sender by clicking the trash icon next to their address. Once removed, their emails will no longer go automatically to Junk and will arrive in your inbox like any other message.

Block a sender without opening their email

You don't have to open a message to block someone. In your inbox, right-click on the email from the sender you want to block. A context menu will appear with the option to Block. Select it, and that sender is blocked when ready.

This method is faster if you receive multiple unwanted emails from the same person and don't want to open each one. The right-click block works the same way as blocking from inside the message — future emails go to Junk.

Block senders on Hotmail mobile apps

On the Hotmail app for iPhone or Android, open an email from the sender you want to block. Tap the three dots at the top right of the message. Select Block sender from the menu. The sender's future emails will go to your Junk folder.

Mobile blocking is separate from web blocking. If you block someone on your phone, they are not automatically blocked when you check Hotmail in a web browser, and vice versa. You may need to block the same sender on each device you use.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a sender in Hotmail, their emails don't disappear — they go to your Junk folder instead of your inbox. You won't receive notifications or alerts when they send you a message. Any emails from that address that are already in your inbox stay there unless you delete them manually.

The blocked sender doesn't receive a notification that you've blocked them. However, if they send you a message and it bounces back (for example, if your mailbox is full), they may realize something is wrong. Blocking is invisible to the other person.

Unblock a sender you blocked by mistake

Go to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders. Find the address you want to unblock and click the trash icon next to it. The sender is when ready unblocked, and their future emails will arrive in your inbox normally.

If you unblock someone, their old emails that went to Junk are still there — unblocking doesn't move them back to your inbox. You can manually move them if you need to, or leave them in Junk.

Block email addresses that look similar to real ones

Scammers sometimes create addresses that look almost identical to legitimate senders — for example, using the number zero instead of the letter O. If you receive suspicious emails from addresses that look like they're from your bank or a service you use, block them when ready. Check the exact spelling of the sender's address before trusting any links or attachments.

Hotmail's spam filters catch many fake addresses, but not all. If you're unsure whether an email is real, go to the official website of the company directly (don't click links in the email) and contact them through their website to verify.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does blocking someone in Hotmail stop them from seeing my emails?

No. Blocking only affects what you receive from them. If you send them an email, it arrives normally. Blocking is one-way — it stops their messages from reaching your inbox, but they can still send to you and receive messages from you.

Can a blocked sender tell I've blocked them?

Not directly. Hotmail doesn't notify them or send a bounce-back message. However, if they send you multiple emails and never hear back, they might suspect something. Blocking is silent on your end.

What's the difference between blocking and marking as spam?

Blocking sends all future emails from that address to Junk automatically. Marking a single email as spam trains Hotmail's filters to recognize similar messages, but doesn't block the sender completely. Blocking is more direct and permanent.

If I block someone, do their old emails disappear?

No. Emails already in your inbox stay there. Only new emails from that sender go to Junk. You can manually delete old emails or move them to Junk if you want them out of your inbox.

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

Hotmail's block feature works on individual email addresses only. If you want to block all emails from a company domain, you would need to block each address separately, or use Hotmail's rules feature to automatically send emails from that domain to Junk.