Block a sender in three steps

To block an email address in Yahoo Mail, open the message from the sender you want to block, click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the email, and select Block sender. Yahoo will move that sender's future emails to your Spam folder automatically. You can block as many addresses as you need, and the block stays in place until you remove it.

The block takes effect when ready. Any email from that address arriving after you block it goes straight to Spam — you won't see it in your inbox. If the sender uses multiple email addresses, you'll need to block each one separately, since Yahoo blocks by exact address, not by name or domain.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders' emails go to your Spam folder, not deleted, so you can review them later if needed.
  • Blocking works on the exact email address you select — if a sender uses a different address, you must block that one too.
  • You can block senders from the email itself or from your contact list without opening a message.
  • Unblocking a sender takes the same steps in reverse and returns their emails to your inbox.
  • Yahoo's block feature works the same way on desktop, mobile web, and the Yahoo Mail app.

Block a sender from the email message

Open any email from the sender you want to block. Look for the three-dot menu icon (sometimes called "More actions") in the top right corner of the email. On desktop, it's to the right of the sender's name and subject line. On mobile, it may be at the top right of the screen.

Click or tap the three-dot menu. A dropdown list will appear with several options. Select Block sender from the list. Yahoo will ask you to confirm — click Block again to finish. The sender is now blocked, and their future emails will go to Spam.

Block a sender from your contacts

If you have the sender saved in your Yahoo contacts, you can block them without opening an email. Go to your Contacts list (usually found in the left sidebar or under the menu). Find the contact you want to block and click on their name to open their contact card.

Look for the three-dot menu on the contact card and select Block contact. Yahoo will confirm the block. This method is faster if you already know who you want to block and don't need to find a recent email from them.

Check your blocked senders list

Yahoo keeps a record of everyone you've blocked. To see this list, click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right of your inbox. Select Settings from the dropdown menu, then click the Security and privacy tab on the left side.

Scroll down until you see Blocked users. This section shows every email address you've blocked. You can add new addresses here by typing them in, or remove a block by clicking the X next to a sender's address. Changes take effect right away.

What happens to blocked emails

When you block a sender, their emails don't disappear — they go to your Spam folder instead. This means you can still review them later if you change your mind or need to check what they sent. Yahoo doesn't delete blocked messages automatically.

If a blocked sender tries to contact you through a different email address, that message will arrive in your inbox normally because Yahoo doesn't recognize it as coming from a blocked sender. You'll need to block each address separately. Some senders use multiple addresses on purpose to get around blocks, so you may need to block several variations.

Unblock a sender

To unblock someone, go back to Settings and select the Security and privacy tab. Find Blocked users and locate the address you want to unblock. Click the X next to their name. Yahoo will ask you to confirm — click Unblock to finish.

Once unblocked, that sender's emails will no longer go to Spam automatically. Any messages they sent while blocked will still be in your Spam folder, but new messages will arrive in your inbox. You can move old messages back to your inbox manually if you want to keep them.

Block senders on the Yahoo Mail app

The process is nearly identical on the Yahoo Mail mobile app for iPhone or Android. Open an email from the sender you want to block. Tap the three-dot menu icon (usually in the top right corner of the email). Select Block sender and confirm.

To see your blocked list on the app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom of the screen, then tap Settings. Look for Blocked users or Security depending on your app version. The blocked sender list works the same way — you can add or remove blocks from here as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the blocked sender know I blocked them?

No. Yahoo doesn't notify senders when you block them. They won't receive a bounce-back message or any other indication that their email was blocked. Their messages straightforward go to your Spam folder without any feedback to them.

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

Yahoo Mail doesn't have a built-in feature to block entire domains at once. You must block individual email addresses. If you're receiving unwanted mail from many addresses at the same domain, you'll need to block each one separately or use filters to send them to Spam automatically.

What if I accidentally blocked someone I didn't mean to?

Go to Settings, select Security and privacy, find Blocked users, and click the X next to their address. Unblocking is when ready, and their future emails will arrive in your inbox normally. Any messages they sent while blocked remain in your Spam folder until you delete them.

Do blocked senders' emails stay in Spam forever?

No. Yahoo automatically deletes emails in your Spam folder after 30 days. If you want to keep a message from a blocked sender, move it to another folder before the 30 days are up. Once deleted, you can't recover it.

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

Yahoo Mail's block feature works only by sender address, not by subject or content. If you want to filter emails by keyword, use Yahoo's filter feature instead. Go to Settings, select Filters, and create a rule to send emails with certain words to Spam automatically.