Block a sender in Outlook on Windows

Open Outlook and find any email from the sender you want to block. Right-click on the message and select Junk, then choose Block Sender. Outlook moves that message to your Junk folder and adds the sender's address to your blocked list.

From that point forward, any email from that address goes straight to Junk without landing in your inbox. If you change your mind later, you can unblock the sender by going to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Safe Senders & Recipients > Blocked Senders. Find the address in the list, select it, and click Remove.

Block a sender in Outlook on Mac

In Outlook for Mac, open an email from the person you want to block. Click the sender's name at the top of the message, then select Block Contact from the menu that appears. The sender's future emails will go to your Junk folder.

To see your blocked list or remove someone, go to Outlook > Preferences > Junk Email > Blocked Senders. You can add addresses manually here as well if you know the email address but don't have a message from them yet.

Block a sender in Outlook on the web

Log into your Outlook account at outlook.com or outlook.office.com. Find an email from the sender you want to block, open it, and click the three dots (more actions) at the top right. Select Block. The sender's address is now on your blocked list, and their emails will go to Junk.

To unblock someone or manage your blocked list, click the gear icon in the top right corner, then View all Outlook settings > Mail > Junk email. Under Blocked senders, you can see everyone you've blocked and remove anyone from the list.

Block an entire domain instead of one address

If you're getting unwanted emails from multiple addresses at the same company or domain, you can block the whole domain. In Outlook on Windows, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Safe Senders & Recipients > Blocked Senders. Click Add and type the domain name with an asterisk, like *@example.com. Every address ending in that domain will then go to Junk.

On Outlook on the web, you cannot block an entire domain through the standard settings. Instead, you can create a rule: go to Settings > Mail > Rules > New rule. Set the condition to "From contains" and enter the domain name, then set the action to "Move to Junk Email". This catches emails from any address at that domain.

What happens when you block someone

Blocked emails go to your Junk folder, not deleted. You can still see them if you check Junk, so you won't miss something important by accident. The sender does not receive a notification that you've blocked them — their email straightforward arrives in a folder you're unlikely to read.

Blocking is different from unsubscribing. If an email has an unsubscribe link at the bottom, clicking that removes you from a mailing list. Blocking stops all email from a specific address or domain, whether it's a mailing list, spam, or someone you know. You can do both if you want to be thorough.

Recover a blocked sender by mistake

If you blocked someone and now need to hear from them again, unblocking takes less than a minute. On Windows, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Safe Senders & Recipients > Blocked Senders. Find the address or domain, click it, and select Remove.

On Mac, go to Outlook > Preferences > Junk Email > Blocked Senders, find the sender, and click the minus sign. On the web, click the gear icon, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email, find the sender under Blocked senders, and click the trash icon next to their name. Emails from that sender will now arrive in your inbox again.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any email from the sender and choose Junk > Block Sender on Windows, or click the sender's name and select Block Contact on Mac.
  • Blocked emails go to your Junk folder, not deleted, so you can still find them if you need to.
  • You can block an entire domain by adding *@example.com to your blocked senders list on Windows or by creating a rule on Outlook on the web.
  • Unblocking someone takes the same steps as blocking — find them in your blocked list and remove them, and their emails will return to your inbox.
  • The sender receives no notification that you've blocked them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block someone without opening their email?

On Windows and Mac, you need to open at least one email from them to block them through the right-click menu. If you know their address but have no message from them, go to your blocked senders list and add the address manually. On the web, you must open an email from them first.

Will blocked emails ever reach my inbox?

No. Once someone is on your blocked list, all their emails go to Junk automatically. They will not appear in your inbox unless you unblock them.

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

Marking an email as spam trains Outlook's filter to recognize similar messages in the future, but does not block the sender. Blocking adds the sender to a list and sends all their mail to Junk when ready. Blocking is more direct if you know exactly who you want to stop hearing from.

Can I block emails by subject line or content?

Blocking works only by sender address or domain. To filter by subject or content, create a rule instead: on Windows, go to File > Options > Mail > Rules. On the web, go to Settings > Mail > Rules. Rules let you move, delete, or flag emails based on words in the subject or body.

If I block someone, can they tell I've blocked them?

No. They will not receive a bounce-back message or any notification. Their email straightforward arrives in Junk on your end, and they have no way to know whether you received it or blocked it.