Block a sender in Yahoo Mail in three steps

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the message, then select Block. Yahoo Mail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically.

If you have already deleted the email, you can still block the sender. Go to your Spam folder, find an email from that address, open it, click the three-dot menu, and select Block. The sender will be added to your blocked list even if you no longer have their original message.

Once you block someone, their emails skip your inbox and go straight to spam. You can unblock them later if you change your mind by going to Settings and removing them from your blocked senders list.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender takes three clicks: open the email, click the three-dot menu, and select Block.
  • Blocked emails go to your spam folder automatically, so you will not see them in your inbox.
  • You can block a sender even if you have already deleted their email by opening it from spam first.
  • You can unblock a sender at any time through your Yahoo Mail settings.
  • Blocking only affects individual email addresses, so someone can reach you from a different address unless you block that one too.

Where to find your blocked senders list

Your blocked senders list lives in Yahoo Mail Settings. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your inbox, then select Settings. In the left sidebar, click Security and privacy.

Scroll down to the Blocked addresses section. This shows every email address you have blocked. To unblock someone, click the X next to their address. They will be removed from your blocked list, and their emails will return to your inbox instead of spam.

Block an entire domain instead of one address

If you are getting unwanted emails from multiple addresses at the same company or domain, you can block the whole domain at once. In your Blocked addresses section in Settings, click Add and type the domain name with an asterisk, like *@example.com. Every email from that domain will go to spam.

Be careful with this option if you might need to receive emails from that domain in the future. For example, blocking *@gmail.com would block every Gmail user, not just the one person bothering you. Use domain blocking only when you are certain you do not need any emails from that source.

What happens when you block someone

When you block an email address, Yahoo Mail does not notify the sender. They will not know you blocked them. Their emails straightforward go to your spam folder instead of your inbox, and you will not receive notifications about them.

The blocked sender can still send you emails — they just will not reach you. If they contact you through another email address or a different service like text message or social media, you will still receive those messages. Blocking only works within Yahoo Mail for that specific address.

Unblock a sender if you change your mind

Return to Settings, click Security and privacy, and find the Blocked addresses section. Locate the email address you want to unblock and click the X next to it. The address is removed when ready, and emails from that sender will go back to your inbox starting with the next message they send.

Unblocking does not retrieve old emails that went to spam while the address was blocked. If you need to read messages from that sender, check your spam folder for emails sent while they were on your blocked list.

Block emails with specific words or phrases

If you want to block emails based on content rather than sender, Yahoo Mail offers filters. In Settings, click Filters and blocked addresses in the left sidebar. Click Add a new filter and enter a word or phrase you want to filter.

You can choose to delete emails with that word, send them to spam, or move them to a specific folder. This works differently from blocking a sender — it catches any email containing that phrase, regardless of who sends it. Use filters for common spam words or phrases that appear in unwanted messages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block someone without opening their email?

No, you need to open the email first to access the three-dot menu and block option. If you want to block someone whose email you deleted, open it from your spam folder first, then click the three-dot menu and select Block.

Will the blocked sender know I blocked them?

No, Yahoo Mail does not notify senders when you block them. They will not receive any message or alert. Their emails straightforward go to spam without reaching your inbox.

What if someone blocks me on Yahoo Mail?

If you are blocked, your emails will go to the other person's spam folder. You will not know you are blocked — your email will appear to send normally, but they will not see it in their inbox.

Can I block emails from a phone number or text message?

No, Yahoo Mail blocking only works for email addresses. If you are receiving unwanted text messages or calls, you will need to use your phone's built-in blocking features instead.

Do I need to block someone on multiple devices?

No, your blocked list syncs across all devices. If you block someone on your computer, they will be blocked when you check Yahoo Mail on your phone or tablet too.