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. Yahoo will then move all future messages from that address to your Spam folder automatically. You can also block a sender by right-clicking their name in your inbox and choosing Block from the menu.
Once you block someone, you won't see their emails in your inbox anymore — they go straight to Spam. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them by going to your blocked senders list in Settings.
The block takes effect when ready. Any emails that sender tries to deliver after you block them will land in Spam, and you won't receive notifications about them.
Key Takeaways
- Open any email from the sender, click the three-dot menu, and select Block to send all their future messages to Spam.
- Blocked senders' emails arrive in your Spam folder, and you receive no notifications when they send you messages.
- You can view your complete list of blocked senders in Yahoo Mail Settings under the Security tab.
- Unblocking a sender reverses the block when ready, and their emails will return to your inbox if they send you new messages.
- Blocking works only on individual email addresses — if someone uses a different address, you will need to block that one separately.
Where to find the block option
The block button appears in two places in Yahoo Mail. The easiest is to open the email from the person you want to block, look at the top right corner of the message, and click the three dots (the menu icon). A dropdown menu appears with several options, and Block is usually near the bottom.
If you prefer not to open the email, you can also right-click directly on the sender's name or email address in your inbox list. A small menu pops up, and Block is one of the choices. This method works if you want to block someone without reading their message.
Both methods do the same thing — they add that address to your blocked list and route all future messages to Spam.
What happens after you block someone
When you block a sender, Yahoo Mail stops showing you their messages. Instead of arriving in your inbox, their emails go directly to your Spam folder. You won't see a notification, and you won't know they sent you anything unless you check your Spam folder manually.
The person you blocked doesn't receive any notification that you blocked them. From their perspective, the email was sent normally — they have no way to know it landed in your Spam folder instead of your inbox. Yahoo doesn't send them a bounce-back message or any other alert.
If the blocked sender uses a different email address, you will need to block that address separately. Blocking only affects the specific address you blocked, not the person behind it.
How to view and manage your blocked senders list
To see everyone you have blocked, go to Yahoo Mail Settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right corner of your inbox. Select Settings from the dropdown menu, then click the Security tab on the left side. Scroll down until you find Blocked addresses — this shows every email address you have blocked.
From this list, you can unblock anyone by clicking the X or Remove button next to their name. Unblocking takes effect right away. If that person sends you another email after you unblock them, it will arrive in your inbox normally instead of going to Spam.
You can also add email addresses to your blocked list manually from this same screen, even if you haven't received an email from them yet. Type or paste the address you want to block and click Add.
Unblocking a sender
To unblock someone, return to Settings, go to the Security tab, and find Blocked addresses. Locate the person you want to unblock and click the X or Remove button next to their name. Confirm the action if Yahoo asks you to.
Once you unblock them, their emails will no longer go to Spam. Any new messages they send will arrive in your inbox like normal. However, unblocking does not recover emails they sent while they were blocked — those remain in your Spam folder unless you move them manually.
If you want to keep their old messages but don't want to unblock them, you can move individual emails from Spam back to your inbox without changing the block status.
Blocking versus other inbox controls
Yahoo Mail offers several ways to control unwanted email, and blocking is the strongest option. When you block someone, their emails go to Spam and you get no notification. If you only want to hide their emails from your inbox without blocking them completely, you can create a filter or rule that automatically moves their messages to a folder you choose.
You can also mark emails as spam without blocking the sender. This trains Yahoo's spam filter to recognize similar messages in the future, but it doesn't prevent that specific sender from reaching your inbox. Blocking is more permanent and complete.
For newsletters or marketing emails you no longer want, look for an Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the message. Unsubscribing removes you from the mailing list, which is often better than blocking because the sender stops sending you emails rather than having them routed to Spam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block multiple email addresses at once?
No, Yahoo Mail requires you to block addresses one at a time. You can block them quickly by opening each email and clicking the three-dot menu, but there is no bulk block feature. If you receive many unwanted emails from different addresses, blocking each one individually is the only method.
Will the person I blocked know I blocked them?
No. The person receives no notification from Yahoo Mail that you blocked them. Their email appears to send normally from their perspective. They would only know if you told them directly or if they noticed you stopped responding to their messages.
What if someone I blocked sends me an email from a different address?
The block applies only to the specific email address you blocked. If the same person uses a different email address, those messages will arrive in your inbox normally. You will need to block each address separately if you want to block all of their emails.
Can I block emails by subject line or content instead of sender?
Blocking in Yahoo Mail works only by email address, not by subject line or message content. If you want to filter emails based on what they contain, create a filter rule in Settings instead. Filters let you automatically move, delete, or organize emails based on keywords or phrases.
Do blocked emails stay in my Spam folder forever?
No. Yahoo Mail automatically deletes emails in your Spam folder after 30 days. If you want to keep any of those emails, move them to another folder before the 30 days pass. Unblocking the sender does not recover emails that were already deleted.