Block a sender in Outlook on Windows

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more actions menu) at the top right of the message. Select Junk, then choose Block Sender. Outlook moves that sender's future emails to your Junk folder automatically.

If you want to block someone without opening their email, right-click the message in your inbox and select Junk, then Block Sender. The same rule applies: all future messages from that address go to Junk.

To see your blocked senders list, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Safe Senders & Blocked Senders > Blocked Senders. You can remove someone from this list by selecting their name and clicking Remove.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender in Outlook moves their emails to Junk but does not delete messages already received.
  • You can block someone by opening their email, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting Junk > Block Sender.
  • Right-clicking an email in your inbox offers the same block option without opening the message.
  • Your blocked senders list lives in File > Options > Trust Center > Safe Senders & Blocked Senders, where you can unblock people if needed.
  • Blocking works the same way on Mac and web versions, though the menu locations differ slightly.

Block a sender in Outlook on Mac

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click Junk in the toolbar at the top of the window. A dialog box appears asking if you want to move this message to Junk and block the sender. Click Block.

You can also right-click any email in your inbox and select Junk > Block Sender without opening it. The result is the same: future emails from that address go to Junk.

To view or change your blocked senders on Mac, go to Outlook > Preferences > Junk Email > Blocked Senders. Select a name and click the minus button to unblock them.

Block a sender in Outlook on the web

Open the email you want to block. Click the three dots at the top right of the message. Select Block. Outlook asks you to confirm; click Block again. The sender's future emails go to your Junk folder.

You can also hover over the sender's name at the top of the email and click the small arrow next to it. Select Block from the dropdown menu. This method works without opening the full message.

To see your blocked senders in Outlook on the web, click the gear icon in the top right corner and select View all Outlook settings. Go to Mail > Junk email. Your blocked senders appear in the Blocked senders and domains field. You can remove someone by clicking the X next to their address.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a sender, Outlook automatically sends their future emails to your Junk folder. The sender does not receive a notification that you blocked them, and they can still send you messages — you just will not see them in your inbox.

Emails from blocked senders that arrived before you blocked them stay in your inbox. Blocking only affects new messages going forward. If you want to remove old emails from a blocked sender, you must delete them manually.

If a blocked sender uses a different email address, their messages from that new address will not be blocked. Blocking works on a per-address basis, so you may need to block multiple addresses from the same person if they use several.

Unblock a sender if you change your mind

On Windows, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Safe Senders & Blocked Senders > Blocked Senders. Find the person's name, select it, and click Remove.

On Mac, open Outlook > Preferences > Junk Email > Blocked Senders. Select the name and click the minus button.

On the web, click the gear icon > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Junk email. Find the address in the Blocked senders and domains field and click the X next to it. Once you unblock someone, their emails return to your inbox normally.

Block an entire domain instead of one person

If you want to block all emails from a company or organization, you can block the entire domain. On the web version, go to Mail > Junk email and type the domain name (for example, @unwantedcompany.com) in the Blocked senders and domains field. Click Add.

On Windows and Mac, you can add a domain to your blocked list by going to your blocked senders settings and typing the domain name with the @ symbol. All emails from any address at that domain will go to Junk.

Blocking a domain is useful when you receive repeated spam from multiple addresses at the same company. However, be careful not to block a domain you might need to receive mail from in the future, since unblocking requires the same steps.

When blocking does not work as expected

If emails from a blocked sender still appear in your inbox, the sender may be using a different email address than the one you blocked. Check the sender's address in the message header to confirm you blocked the correct one. If they are using multiple addresses, you need to block each one separately.

Sometimes emails bypass the block if they are sent through a mailing list or forwarded by someone else. Outlook treats forwarded messages as coming from the person who forwarded them, not the original sender. In this case, you may need to block the forwarder's address instead.

If you use Outlook with an Exchange account through work, your IT department may have server-level filters that override your personal block settings. Contact your IT support if you believe a blocked sender's emails should not be reaching you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the person I block know that I blocked them?

No. Blocking a sender in Outlook does not send them any notification. They can still send you emails, but the messages go to your Junk folder instead of your inbox. They have no way to know whether you blocked them, ignored them, or straightforward never saw their message.

Can I block emails by subject line or keyword instead of by sender?

Outlook does not have a built-in feature to block by subject line or keyword. Your best option is to create a rule that automatically moves emails containing certain words to Junk. On Windows, go to File > Options > Mail > Rules and create a new rule based on the words you want to filter.

What is the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?

Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list, so the sender stops sending you emails. Blocking prevents emails from reaching your inbox but does not notify the sender. Use unsubscribe for legitimate mailing lists you no longer want, and blocking for unwanted senders or spam.

If I block someone and then unblock them, will I see their old emails?

No. Unblocking restores the sender's ability to reach your inbox, but it does not recover emails that went to Junk while they were blocked. Those messages stay in your Junk folder. You would need to manually move them back to your inbox if you want to see them.

Can I block emails on my phone using the Outlook app?

Yes. Open the email you want to block, tap the three dots, and select Block Sender. The process is the same on both iPhone and Android versions of the Outlook app. Blocked senders' emails go to Junk on all your devices.