The fastest way to block an email address in Outlook

Right-click the email from the sender you want to block. A menu will appear. Select Junk, then Block Sender. Outlook moves that email to your Junk folder and adds the sender's address to your blocked list. Any future emails from that address go straight to Junk without hitting your inbox.

If you are using Outlook on the web (the version you access through a browser), the process is slightly different. Open the email, click the three dots at the top right, select Junk, then Block Sender. The result is the same — that sender is now blocked.

Once you block someone, you cannot unblock them from the email itself. You have to go to your settings to remove them from the blocked list later, which takes an extra step. So double-check the sender address before you block.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any email and choose Junk, then Block Sender to send that address to your blocked list when ready.
  • Blocked emails go to your Junk folder, not deleted, so you can recover them if you blocked by mistake.
  • Blocking stops individual email addresses, not entire domains, so a sender using multiple addresses can still reach you.
  • You can view and remove blocked senders from Outlook settings under Junk Email Options, which takes about two minutes.

Where blocked emails actually go

When you block a sender, Outlook does not delete their emails. Instead, it routes them to your Junk folder. This matters because if you block someone by mistake — or if you change your mind — you can still find and read those emails. They sit in Junk until you delete them or move them back to your inbox.

Check your Junk folder occasionally, especially if you block senders frequently. Sometimes legitimate emails get caught there, and you want to catch them before they pile up. Outlook keeps Junk folder items for 30 days by default before permanently removing them, though you can change that setting.

How to unblock a sender you blocked by mistake

Open Outlook and go to File (top left), then Options. Click Trust Center on the left side, then Trust Center Settings. Select Junk Email. You will see a tab labeled Blocked Senders — that is your list of blocked addresses.

Find the sender you want to unblock, click their address, then click Remove. Click OK to save. That sender is now unblocked and their emails will no longer go to Junk automatically. The whole process takes about two minutes.

If you are using Outlook on the web, the path is different. Click the gear icon in the top right, select View all Outlook settings, then go to Mail > Junk email. You will see your blocked senders list there and can remove addresses the same way.

Blocking entire domains instead of single addresses

Outlook's built-in block feature works on individual email addresses only. If someone is harassing you from multiple addresses (like spam@company.com, noreply@company.com, and support@company.com), blocking one address does not stop the others. You have to block each one separately, which gets tedious fast.

If you need to block an entire domain — all addresses ending in @company.com, for example — you have two options. The first is to create a rule. Go to File > Options > Mail > Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts. Click New Rule and choose explore rule on messages I receive. Set the condition to from and type the domain (like @company.com). Set the action to move to Junk. This catches all emails from that domain automatically.

The second option is to use a third-party email filter, though that requires more setup. Most people find the rule method simpler for blocking an entire domain.

What happens when you block someone who emails you regularly

If you block a coworker, family member, or anyone else you interact with regularly, they will not know you blocked them. Outlook does not send a notification. Their emails straightforward disappear into your Junk folder, and they will not see a bounce-back message. From their perspective, you are just not responding.

This can create confusion. If you block your boss by accident, they might think you are ignoring them. If you block a friend, they might think your email is broken. Consider whether you actually want to block someone or whether you would rather use a rule to sort their emails into a folder you check less often. Blocking is permanent until you unblock; sorting is reversible and less likely to damage a relationship.

Using rules to manage unwanted emails without blocking

Blocking is not your only option. You can create a rule that moves emails from a sender to a specific folder instead of Junk. This keeps the emails out of your inbox but does not treat the sender as blocked. Go to File > Options > Mail > Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts. Click New Rule, choose explore rule on messages I receive, and set the condition to from [sender's address]. Set the action to move to folder and pick a folder you create for that purpose.

Rules are useful when you want to keep emails from someone but do not want them cluttering your inbox. You can also set rules to mark emails as read automatically, flag them, or forward them somewhere else. Rules give you more control than blocking and are easier to adjust later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block someone on Outlook if I do not have their email address yet?

No. You need the actual email address to block it. If someone is harassing you but you do not know their address, you cannot block them preemptively. Wait for them to email you, then block the address they use. If they use multiple addresses, you will have to block each one as it arrives.

Does blocking someone in Outlook also block them on my phone?

If you use the Outlook app on your phone, your blocked list syncs across devices. Blocking on your computer blocks them on your phone too. If you use a different email app on your phone (like Gmail or Apple Mail), you have to block them separately in that app — Outlook's blocked list does not transfer.

What if someone I blocked sends me an email from a different address?

Blocking only stops the specific address you blocked. If the same person uses a different email address, those emails come through normally. You would have to block the new address separately. This is why blocking works better for spam than for people you know who might have multiple accounts.

Can I block emails based on keywords or subject lines instead of sender?

Blocking only works on sender addresses, but rules can filter by keywords. Create a rule, set the condition to with specific words in the subject, and type the keyword. Set the action to move to Junk or another folder. This catches emails with that keyword regardless of who sends them.