The fastest way to block an email address

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

If you've already deleted the email, you can still block the address. Go to your Settings (the gear icon in the top right), select Accounts, then Security and privacy. Scroll down to Blocked addresses and type in the email address you want to block, then click Add.

Once blocked, emails from that address go straight to your spam folder. You can still see them if you check spam, but Yahoo won't alert you when they arrive. The person won't know they're blocked — they'll just see their emails as sent normally on their end.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking an address takes 10 seconds: open the email, click the three dots, and select Block sender.
  • Blocked emails land in spam, not deleted, so you can unblock and review them later if needed.
  • You can block addresses manually in Settings even if you no longer have an email from them.
  • The sender won't receive a notification that they've been blocked.
  • Blocking is different from unsubscribing — use unsubscribe for mailing lists, block for people you don't want to hear from.

When to use block instead of unsubscribe

Unsubscribe is for mailing lists, newsletters, and marketing emails — it removes you from a distribution list that the sender controls. Block is for individual people or addresses sending unwanted mail directly to you. If you click unsubscribe on a personal email, it may tell the sender your address is active, which can lead to more mail.

If an email has an unsubscribe link at the bottom, use it for marketing or promotional mail. If it's a person sending repeated unwanted messages, block them instead. Blocking is also the right choice if someone is harassing you or sending threatening content — it stops the mail when ready without notifying them.

How to unblock an address if you change your mind

Go to Settings (gear icon, top right), select Accounts, then Security and privacy. Find Blocked addresses and look for the address you want to unblock. Click the X next to it. That address is now unblocked and their emails will go to your inbox normally again.

Unblocking doesn't delete any emails they sent while blocked — those stay in your spam folder. You can move them back to your inbox if you want to read them, or leave them in spam and just allow future mail through.

What happens to emails from blocked addresses

Emails from a blocked sender go to your spam folder automatically. Yahoo Mail doesn't delete them, so they're still there if you need to find them later. You won't get a notification when a blocked person emails you, and the message won't show up in your inbox count.

If you're blocking someone because of harassment, keep in mind that blocking only affects Yahoo Mail. The person can still reach you through other email accounts, phone, social media, or other contact methods. Blocking is a mail-sorting tool, not a restraining order. If someone is threatening or harassing you across multiple platforms, consider reporting them to the platform and keeping records of the contact.

Blocking multiple addresses at once

Yahoo Mail doesn't have a bulk-block feature, so you'll need to block addresses one at a time. Go to Settings, Accounts, Security and privacy, and Blocked addresses. Type each address into the field and click Add. It takes about 30 seconds per address.

If you're getting spam from many similar addresses (like variations of the same domain), blocking each one individually is tedious. In that case, consider using Yahoo's spam filters instead. Go to Settings, Filters, and create a rule that automatically sends emails from addresses matching a pattern (like anything ending in "@spammydomain.com") to spam.

Using filters for more control than blocking

Filters let you do more than block — you can sort mail by sender, subject line, or keywords, and send it to spam, a folder, or trash automatically. Go to Settings, Filters, and click Add a new filter. You can set it to catch emails from a specific address, or from anyone with certain words in the subject line.

Filters are useful if you want to organize mail without completely blocking it. For example, you could filter all emails from a work address into a separate folder, or send promotional emails from a store to spam without blocking the sender entirely. You can edit or delete filters anytime from the same Settings menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

No. They won't receive a notification, and their emails will appear to send normally on their end. The only way they'd know is if they try to contact you through another method and you tell them, or if they notice you never reply.

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

Yahoo Mail doesn't have a built-in domain block, but you can create a filter that catches all emails from a domain. Go to Settings, Filters, and set up a rule where the "From" field contains "@domainname.com". Send matching emails to spam.

What if someone creates a new email address after I block them?

You'll need to block the new address separately. If someone is repeatedly creating new accounts to contact you, that's harassment. Document the addresses and consider reporting the behavior to Yahoo Mail support or to law enforcement if it's threatening.

Do blocked emails take up storage space?

Yes, emails in your spam folder count toward your storage limit. If you're running low on space, you can permanently delete emails from spam instead of just blocking the sender. Go to Spam, select the emails, and click Delete.

Can I block emails by subject line instead of sender?

Blocking works by sender address only, but filters can catch emails by subject line. Use a filter if you want to automatically send emails with certain words in the subject to spam, even if they come from different senders.