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) at the top right of the email. Select Block sender from the dropdown. Yahoo Mail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically, and you won't see notifications when they arrive.

That's the complete process — it takes about five seconds. Once blocked, emails from that address go straight to your spam folder. The sender won't know they're blocked, and you can unblock them later if you change your mind.

If you've already deleted the email, you can still block the sender. Go to your spam folder, find an email from that person, and use the same three-dot menu to block them. You can also block someone by typing their email address directly into Yahoo's block list without needing an email from them first.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the three-dot menu on any email and select Block sender to send that person's future messages to spam.
  • Blocked emails arrive in your spam folder, not your inbox, and you won't receive notifications about them.
  • You can block an email address directly from your settings without needing to receive an email from them first.
  • Unblocking is just as straightforward — go to settings, find the blocked list, and remove the address whenever you want.

Blocking directly from your settings

If you want to block someone before they email you, or if you prefer to manage all your blocked addresses in one place, use Yahoo's settings. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your inbox and select Settings.

Go to the Security and privacy tab on the left. Scroll down to Blocked addresses. Type the email address you want to block into the text field and click Add. That address is now blocked, even if you've never received an email from them.

This method is useful if someone is harassing you but you haven't opened their emails yet, or if you want to block a sender before they contact you. You can add as many addresses as you need to your blocked list.

What happens when you block someone

When you block an email address, Yahoo Mail automatically sends all future emails from that sender to your spam folder. You won't see them in your inbox, and you won't get a notification when they arrive. The blocked sender can still send emails — they just won't reach you visibly.

Blocked emails stay in your spam folder for 30 days before Yahoo deletes them permanently. If you want to check what a blocked sender has tried to send you, you can look in spam, but you won't be alerted about it. The sender has no way to know they're blocked — from their perspective, their emails are being sent normally.

Unblocking an email address

If you block someone by mistake, or if you want to receive emails from them again, unblocking takes seconds. Go to Settings (gear icon, top right), then Security and privacy, then scroll to Blocked addresses.

Find the address you want to unblock in the list and click the X next to it. That person's emails will now arrive in your inbox normally again. You can unblock and re-block the same address as many times as you need.

Blocking vs. reporting spam

Yahoo Mail offers two different tools: blocking and reporting spam. Blocking stops emails from reaching your inbox but doesn't report the sender to Yahoo. Reporting spam tells Yahoo that an address is sending unwanted mail, which helps Yahoo identify patterns and protect other users.

If someone is sending you unwanted marketing emails or newsletters you didn't sign up for, report spam instead of blocking. Click the three-dot menu and select Report spam. If someone is harassing you or sending threatening messages, block them first, then report spam. You can do both at the same time.

Blocking email addresses on mobile

The Yahoo Mail app on iPhone and Android works the same way as the website. Open an email from the person you want to block, tap the three dots at the top right, and select Block sender. The email goes to spam when ready.

To manage your blocked list on mobile, open the app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), go to Settings, then Security and privacy, then Blocked addresses. You can add or remove addresses from your phone just as easily as from a computer.

When blocking doesn't work

If you're still seeing emails from someone you blocked, they may be using a different email address. Blocking only stops emails from the exact address you entered — if someone creates a new email account and emails you from that, it won't be blocked automatically. You'll need to block each address separately.

If blocking seems to have no effect, check your spam folder to confirm the emails are actually going there. Sometimes email filters or forwarding rules can interfere. If a blocked sender's emails are still reaching your inbox after a few hours, try blocking them again or contact Yahoo support.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yahoo Mail doesn't have a built-in feature to block entire domains. You have to block individual email addresses. If someone is harassing you from multiple addresses on the same domain, block each one separately, or contact Yahoo support if the harassment is severe.

Will the person I block know I blocked them?

No. Blocked senders have no way to know their emails aren't reaching you. From their perspective, they're sending emails normally. Yahoo doesn't send them a notification or bounce-back message.

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

Yes. Blocked emails go to your spam folder, not deleted. You can check spam anytime to see what they've sent. If you want to read their emails regularly again, unblock them and they'll return to your inbox.

What's the difference between blocking and deleting an email?

Deleting removes one email from your inbox. Blocking stops all future emails from that sender from reaching your inbox. Deleting is one-time; blocking is permanent until you unblock.

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

Yahoo Mail doesn't have a content-based blocking feature. You can only block by email address. If you want to filter emails by subject or keywords, you can create rules in your settings to automatically move them to a folder.