Yes, you can block email addresses on every major platform
Every email service — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Apple Mail — has a built-in blocking feature that stops messages from a sender reaching your inbox. When you block an address, that sender's emails go straight to spam or a blocked folder, and you won't see notifications. The steps differ slightly between services, but the result is the same: you won't hear from that address unless you unblock it.
Blocking works best for unwanted marketing, spam, or people you don't want contact from. It does not prevent someone from sending you a message — they can still send it, but you won't see it arrive. If you need to stop someone from contacting you entirely, blocking is the right tool. If you need a record of what they sent, you may want to mark messages as spam instead, which keeps them in a folder you can review later.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Apple Mail all have block features accessible from the sender's message or contact card.
- Blocked emails go to spam or a blocked folder and do not trigger notifications, but the sender can still send messages.
- You can unblock an address at any time through your email settings or blocked contacts list.
- Some email services let you block entire domains (like all addresses ending in @example.com), not just individual addresses.
- Blocking on your phone or computer affects only that device unless your email account syncs across devices.
How to block on Gmail
Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the message. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown. Gmail will move that message to spam and send all future messages from that address to your spam folder automatically.
You can also block someone from their contact card. Open Contacts, find the person, click the three-dot menu next to their name, and select "Block." If you change your mind, go to Settings, click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find the blocked address, and click "Unblock."
How to block on Outlook
Right-click the email from the sender you want to block. Select "Junk" and then "Block Sender." Outlook moves that message to your Junk folder and routes all future messages from that address there. You can also click the three-dot menu at the top of the message and choose "Junk" then "Block Sender."
To unblock, go to Settings, select "Mail," then "Junk email." Click "Blocked senders" and you will see a list of all blocked addresses. Click the X next to any address to unblock it.
How to block on Yahoo Mail
Open the message from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu at the top right. Select "Block sender." Yahoo moves the message to spam and sends all future messages from that address to your spam folder.
To unblock, click the gear icon in the top right, select "Settings," then go to "Blocked addresses." You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Click "Unblock" next to any address to restore messages from that sender.
How to block on Apple Mail
On an iPhone or iPad, open the email and tap the sender's name at the top. Tap "Block This Contact." On a Mac, right-click the sender's name in the message and select "Block Contact." Apple Mail will move messages from that address to the trash and prevent future messages from appearing in your inbox.
To unblock on iPhone or iPad, open Settings, go to Mail, then Contacts, and select "Blocked." Tap "Edit" and then the red minus sign next to the contact you want to unblock. On a Mac, go to Mail menu, select Preferences, click the Junk Mail tab, and look for blocked contacts in your settings.
Blocking entire domains instead of single addresses
If you receive spam from many addresses at the same company or domain, you can block the whole domain instead of one address at a time. In Gmail, go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, and create a new filter. In the "From" field, type the domain (for example, @spamcompany.com). Select "Delete" or "Skip the Inbox" and check "Also explore filter to matching conversations."
Outlook and Yahoo do not have a built-in domain-blocking feature in the same way, but you can create rules that send all mail from a domain to junk. In Outlook, go to Settings, select "Mail," then "Rules," and create a new rule that matches the sender domain and moves messages to junk. This approach takes a few more steps but works just as well.
What happens when you block someone
When you block an address, that sender's messages no longer appear in your inbox or trigger notifications. On most services, their messages go to spam or a dedicated blocked folder. The sender does not receive a notification that they have been blocked — they can still send emails, but they will not know whether you are reading them.
Blocking is not the same as unsubscribing from a mailing list. If you receive marketing emails you do not want, look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the message first. Unsubscribing removes you from the sender's list, while blocking hides their messages from you. For legitimate companies, unsubscribing is the better choice because it stops them from sending to you at all.
Unblocking an address if you change your mind
You can unblock any address at any time through your email settings. Each service stores blocked addresses in a different location, but all of them let you see a list and remove addresses from it. The process takes less than a minute, and messages from that sender will start appearing in your inbox again when ready after you unblock.
If you unblock someone and then want to block them again, you can do so using the same steps. There is no limit to how many times you can block and unblock an address. Keep in mind that unblocking does not retrieve old messages that were sent while the address was blocked — those remain in spam or the blocked folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the person know I blocked them?
No. The sender receives no notification that you have blocked them. They can still send emails, but they will not know whether the messages reach you or whether you read them. If they contact you through another method asking why you are not responding, that is the only way they would know.
Can I block someone on my phone but not my computer?
Yes, if you block someone only on your phone, the block applies only to that device. However, if your email account syncs across devices (which most do by default), the block will sync too and explore everywhere. Check your email settings to see whether blocking is synced across your devices.
What is the difference between blocking and marking as spam?
Blocking stops all messages from an address and hides them from your inbox. Marking as spam sends one message to a spam folder but does not block future messages — they still arrive in your inbox unless you block the sender. Use marking as spam if you want to keep a record of messages but do not want them cluttering your main inbox.
Can I block an entire email domain?
Gmail lets you block whole domains through filters. Outlook and Yahoo require you to create rules instead, which takes a few more steps. Apple Mail does not have a straightforward domain-blocking feature, but you can create rules in the Mail preferences to send messages from a domain to junk automatically.
Will blocking stop someone from seeing my emails?
No. Blocking only affects what you receive from someone. If you have already sent them emails, they can still see those messages. Blocking is one-way — it stops their messages from reaching you, but does not hide your past messages from them or prevent you from sending new ones if you choose to.