The fastest way to block someone in Outlook

Open the email from the person you want to block. Right-click on their name or email address at the top of the message, then select Block Sender from the menu. Outlook will move that sender's future emails to your Junk folder automatically.

If you are using Outlook on the web (outlook.com or outlook.office.com), open the email and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Block, then confirm. The sender's messages will go straight to Junk from that point forward.

Once you block someone, you will not see their emails in your inbox, but they are not deleted — they land in Junk where you can review them later if needed. The sender does not get a notification that you blocked them.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click a sender's name in any email and choose Block Sender to send their future messages to Junk automatically.
  • On Outlook.com or Outlook on the web, use the three-dot menu and select Block instead.
  • Blocked emails go to Junk, not deleted, so you can still find them if you change your mind.
  • You can unblock a sender at any time by going to Settings and removing them from your blocked list.
  • Blocking only affects your account — the sender can still email you, but you will not see those messages in your inbox.

Blocking someone in Outlook on your computer

In Outlook for Windows or Mac, the Block Sender option appears when you right-click directly on the sender's name or email address. Do not right-click on the subject line or message body — you need to click on the sender information at the top of the email.

After you block them, check your Junk folder to confirm the email moved there. You can also go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Safe Senders & Block Senders to see your full blocked list and remove anyone from it if you change your mind.

Blocking someone in Outlook on the web

Log into Outlook.com or your work Outlook account at outlook.office.com. Open any email from the sender you want to block, then click the three horizontal dots (the action menu) in the top right corner of the message.

Select Block from the dropdown menu. A confirmation box will appear asking if you want to block this sender — click Block again to confirm. From now on, emails from that address will skip your inbox and go directly to Junk.

Managing your blocked senders list

To see everyone you have blocked, go to Settings (the gear icon) and select View all Outlook settings. Click Mail > Junk email. You will see a section called Blocked senders with a list of every email address you have blocked.

To unblock someone, find their email address in that list and click the trash icon next to their name. They will be removed from your blocked list, and their emails will go back to your inbox normally. You can block and unblock the same person as many times as you need to.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a sender, their emails do not disappear — they go to your Junk folder instead. You can still read them if you check Junk, but they will not show up in your inbox or trigger notifications on your phone or computer.

The sender has no way of knowing you blocked them. They will not receive a bounce-back message or any other notification. From their perspective, the email was sent normally. If they try to contact you through another email address, that message will come through unless you block that address too.

Blocking email addresses that look like spam

If you are getting emails that look like phishing attempts or scams, blocking the sender is a good first step. However, scammers often use different email addresses each time, so blocking one address may not stop all their messages.

If you receive repeated unwanted emails from different addresses that appear to be from the same person or organization, you can report them as phishing or junk before blocking. In Outlook on the web, click the three dots and select Report phishing or Report junk. This helps Outlook's spam filters learn to catch similar messages for all users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block an email address without opening an email from them?

Not directly from the inbox view. You need to open at least one email from that sender to access the Block option. However, if you have an email from them, you can block them without reading the full message — just open it and right-click their name.

What if someone emails me from a different address after I block them?

Each email address is blocked separately. If the same person uses a different email address, those messages will come through to your inbox normally. You would need to block each address individually as you receive emails from them.

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

Outlook does not have a built-in feature to block entire domains at once. You can only block individual email addresses. If you are getting spam from many addresses at the same domain, you may want to use mail rules or filters instead, which can catch emails based on the domain name.

Will the person I blocked know I blocked them?

No. Outlook does not send any notification to blocked senders. They will not receive a bounce-back message or any indication that you blocked them. Their emails straightforward go to your Junk folder instead of your inbox.

Can I block someone and still see their emails if I want to?

Yes. Blocked emails go to Junk, not deleted. You can check your Junk folder anytime to read messages from blocked senders. If you decide you want to see their emails in your inbox again, you can unblock them from your blocked senders list.