The fastest way to block someone in Yahoo Mail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more actions menu) in the top right corner of the message. Select Block sender from the dropdown. Yahoo Mail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically, and you will not see notifications when they arrive.

That is the complete process. Once blocked, emails from that address go straight to your spam folder. You can unblock the sender later if you change your mind — go to Settings, then Blocked addresses, and click the X next to their name.

If you want to block someone before you open their email, right-click on their name in your inbox list and choose Block sender. The result is the same.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender in Yahoo Mail sends their future emails to spam automatically without notifying you.
  • You can block someone from an open email using the three-dot menu, or from your inbox by right-clicking their name.
  • Blocked addresses are stored in your Settings under Blocked addresses, where you can remove them anytime.
  • Blocking only affects new emails — messages already in your inbox from that sender stay where they are.
  • Yahoo Mail does not notify the blocked sender that you have blocked them.

Where to find your blocked addresses list

Go to your Yahoo Mail Settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. In the left sidebar, click Security and privacy. You will see a section called Blocked addresses with a list of everyone you have blocked.

From this page, you can add new addresses to block without opening an email from them. Type the email address in the text field and click Add. You can also remove someone from the blocked list by clicking the X next to their name — they will no longer be blocked after that.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a sender, Yahoo Mail routes all their future emails to your spam folder. You will not receive a notification when they send you a message. If you check your spam folder, you will see their emails there, but they will not appear in your inbox.

The person you blocked does not receive any notification that you have blocked them. From their perspective, they straightforward will not know whether you read their email or not. Yahoo Mail does not send them a bounce-back message or any other signal.

Blocking is permanent until you undo it. If the blocked sender changes their email address, that new address is not automatically blocked — you would need to block it separately.

Blocking does not delete old emails

Blocking someone only affects emails they send after you block them. Any messages from that sender that are already in your inbox, spam folder, or other folders will stay there. If you want to remove their old emails, you need to delete them yourself.

Open each email or select multiple emails from that sender by clicking the checkbox next to their name. Then click the trash icon to delete them. You can also use the search bar to find all emails from one sender — type from:emailaddress@example.com and press Enter, then select all results and delete them at once.

When blocking is not enough

If someone is sending you threatening, harassing, or abusive emails, blocking alone may not be enough. Save copies of the emails as evidence. You can forward them to Yahoo Mail's abuse team at abuse@yahoo.com with a description of what is happening.

If the harassment is severe or involves threats, contact your local police department or file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov. Keep records of dates, times, and the content of messages. These steps go beyond what Yahoo Mail's block feature can do.

Unblocking someone later

If you blocked someone by mistake or want to hear from them again, you can unblock them anytime. Go to Settings, then Security and privacy, then Blocked addresses. Find the person's email address in the list and click the X next to it. They are now unblocked, and their emails will go to your inbox normally again.

Unblocking does not restore emails they sent while they were blocked — those remain in your spam folder. If you want to see those old messages, you will need to go to spam and move them back to your inbox manually.

Blocking on mobile Yahoo Mail

The process is slightly different on the Yahoo Mail app for iPhone or Android. Open an email from the person you want to block. Tap the three dots in the top right corner. Select Block sender. The app will confirm the block and move their future emails to spam.

To view your blocked list on mobile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Go to Settings, then Security and privacy, then Blocked addresses. You can add or remove blocked senders from this screen the same way you do on the web version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block an email address without opening the email first?

Yes. Go to Settings, then Security and privacy, then Blocked addresses. Type the email address in the text field and click Add. You do not need to receive an email from them first.

What is the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?

Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list, usually for newsletters or marketing emails. Blocking prevents all emails from a specific sender from reaching your inbox. Blocking is stronger and works on any sender, while unsubscribe only works if the sender has included an unsubscribe link.

Will the person I blocked know I blocked them?

No. Yahoo Mail does not send any notification to the blocked sender. They will not receive a bounce-back message or any other signal that you have blocked them.

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

Yahoo Mail does not have a built-in feature to block entire domains. You can only block individual email addresses. If you receive emails from multiple addresses at the same domain, you will need to block each one separately.

If I block someone, can they still see my emails if they search for me?

No. Once you block someone, they cannot send you emails at all — their messages go to spam. They cannot reach your inbox or contact you through Yahoo Mail.