Block a sender in Yahoo Mail using the block button

The fastest way to block an email address in Yahoo Mail is to open the message from the sender you want to block, then click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the email. Select Block from the dropdown menu. Yahoo Mail will when ready stop delivering messages from that address to your inbox — they go to spam instead.

This method works whether you're using Yahoo Mail on a computer or the Yahoo Mail app on your phone. The block takes effect right away, so any new messages from that sender will be filtered out before you see them.

If you've already deleted the email, you can still block the sender. Go to your Spam folder, find any message from that address, open it, and use the same three-dot menu to block them.

Key Takeaways

  • Open any email from the sender, click the three-dot menu, and select Block to stop their messages from reaching your inbox.
  • Blocked messages go to your spam folder automatically, and you can unblock a sender at any time from your blocked list.
  • You can block multiple addresses from the same person if they send from different email accounts.
  • Blocking someone in Yahoo Mail does not prevent them from sending you messages — it only hides them from your view.

Find your list of blocked senders

Yahoo Mail keeps a record of everyone you've blocked. To see this list, click the gear icon in the top right corner of your Yahoo Mail inbox and select Settings. Then click Security and Privacy in the left sidebar.

Scroll down until you see Blocked addresses. This section shows every email address you've blocked. You can unblock anyone from this list by clicking the X next to their name. Once you unblock them, their messages will start arriving in your inbox again instead of going to spam.

Block an email address without opening a message

If you want to block someone before you open their email, you can do it from your inbox list. Right-click on the message from the sender you want to block. A menu will appear with several options, including Block sender. Click that option and the address is blocked when ready.

This method is useful if you see a message from someone you don't want to hear from but haven't opened it yet. The right-click menu works the same way on both desktop and mobile versions of Yahoo Mail.

What happens when you block someone

When you block an email address, Yahoo Mail sends all future messages from that sender directly to your spam folder. You won't see a notification that they've sent you something — the message straightforward appears in spam instead of your inbox. This means you can still read blocked messages if you check your spam folder, but they won't interrupt your normal email flow.

Blocking is one-way. The person you block can still send you messages, and they won't know they've been blocked. They won't receive a notification, and their messages will appear to send normally on their end. If you want to prevent someone from contacting you entirely, blocking is not a complete solution — you would need to report them for spam or harassment instead.

Unblock a sender if you change your mind

Go back to Settings, then Security and Privacy, and find the Blocked addresses section. Find the person you want to unblock and click the X next to their name. Their address is when ready removed from your blocked list, and their future messages will go back to your inbox.

Unblocking someone does not recover old messages they sent while they were blocked — those remain in your spam folder. If you want to read them, you'll need to go to spam and find them manually.

Block addresses that look like they're from Yahoo

Scammers sometimes send emails that appear to come from Yahoo Mail itself or from your bank, PayPal, or other trusted companies. These are called spoofed emails. You can block these the same way you block any other sender — open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select Block.

However, spoofed emails often come from many different addresses, so blocking one sender may not stop all of them. If you're receiving many fake messages pretending to be from a company, report them as spam or phishing instead of just blocking them. Click the three-dot menu and select Report phishing or Report spam. This helps Yahoo Mail recognize the pattern and filter similar messages for all users.

Block multiple addresses from the same person

Some senders use different email addresses to contact you, especially if they're trying to get around a block. If someone keeps emailing you from new addresses, block each one as it arrives. Open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select Block.

If you're being contacted repeatedly from many different addresses by the same person, this may be harassment. In that case, blocking individual addresses is not enough. Report the messages as spam or phishing, and consider contacting Yahoo Mail support for additional options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I've blocked them?

No. When you block someone, they won't receive any notification. Their emails will appear to send normally on their end, but you won't see them. They have no way of knowing you've blocked them unless they try to contact you through another method and you tell them.

Will blocking someone delete their old emails?

No. Blocking only affects new messages going forward. Any emails from that sender that are already in your inbox or spam folder stay there. If you want to remove them, you'll need to delete them manually.

What's the difference between blocking and reporting spam?

Blocking stops one sender's messages from reaching your inbox. Reporting spam tells Yahoo Mail that the message is unwanted and helps the system recognize similar messages from other users. If you're getting scam or phishing emails, report them instead of just blocking — it protects everyone.

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

Yahoo Mail blocks individual email addresses, not entire domains. If someone keeps emailing you from different addresses at the same company, you'll need to block each address separately as they arrive.

If I unblock someone, will their old blocked emails come back to my inbox?

No. Unblocking only affects new messages. Old emails that were sent while the address was blocked stay in your spam folder. You can move them back to your inbox manually if you want to read them.