Yes, you can block people on email, but the method depends on which email service you use

Every major email provider — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and others — has a built-in blocking feature. When you block someone, their messages go straight to spam or a blocked folder instead of your inbox. You won't see notifications when they send you mail, and in most services, they can't see whether you've read their messages or whether you're online.

The block doesn't prevent them from sending mail to you — it just hides those messages from you. If you need to stop someone from contacting you entirely, blocking is the email equivalent of that. It's different from unsubscribing, which only works for mailing lists and newsletters.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking an email address sends that person's messages to spam or a blocked folder, so you won't see them in your inbox.
  • The steps to block someone differ between Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and other providers, but all services have a block option.
  • Blocking someone does not prevent them from sending you mail — it only hides their messages from your view.
  • You can unblock someone later if you change your mind, and the process takes less than a minute.

How to block someone in Gmail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the message. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will ask you to confirm — click "Block" again.

After you block someone in Gmail, their future emails land in the spam folder automatically. Gmail also deletes all previous emails from that person from your inbox, though you can recover them from spam if you need to. If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them by going to Settings, clicking the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, finding their name, and clicking "Unblock."

How to block someone in Outlook

Open the message from the person you want to block. Click the three dots menu at the top of the email. Select "Block" or "Junk" depending on your Outlook version. Outlook will move that person's messages to your Junk folder going forward.

Outlook keeps blocked senders in a list you can view in Settings under Mail > Junk Email. If you want to unblock someone, go to that same menu, find their address, and remove them from the blocked list. Unlike Gmail, Outlook does not automatically delete old messages from blocked senders — those stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself.

How to block someone in Yahoo Mail

Click on the email from the person you want to block. Select the three dots menu icon. Choose "Block sender." Yahoo Mail will confirm the block and move that message to spam.

Yahoo Mail sends all future emails from that person to your spam folder. You can see your list of blocked senders in Settings under Security and Privacy > Blocked Addresses. To unblock someone, go to that list, find their address, and click the X next to their name.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block someone, their emails arrive in your spam or blocked folder instead of your inbox. You won't get notifications when they send you mail. Most email services do not tell the blocked person that you've blocked them — they'll only know if they notice their messages aren't getting responses or if they check whether their emails are bouncing back.

Blocking is not the same as reporting spam. If someone is harassing you or sending threatening messages, you may want to report them to your email provider in addition to blocking them. Most services have a "Report spam" or "Report abuse" option in the same menu where you find the block button.

Blocking vs. unsubscribing from mailing lists

If the emails are coming from a business, newsletter, or mailing list, blocking may not be the best option. Most legitimate mailing lists include an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email. Clicking that link removes you from the list without blocking the sender's address.

Blocking is better for personal email addresses or unwanted contact from individuals. Unsubscribing is better for marketing emails, newsletters, and automated messages from services. If you block a mailing list address, you'll still see old emails from them in your inbox — unsubscribing prevents future emails without affecting past ones.

When blocking isn't enough

Blocking stops emails from appearing in your inbox, but it doesn't prevent someone from sending you mail or creating new email addresses to contact you. If someone is repeatedly trying to contact you after you've blocked them, or if the messages are threatening or abusive, contact your email provider's abuse team.

Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail all have abuse reporting options. You can also contact local law enforcement if the messages involve threats, harassment, or illegal activity. Keep records of the messages — take screenshots or forward them to a safe folder — in case you need to show them to authorities or your email provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I've blocked them?

No, your email provider won't notify them. They may figure it out if they notice you're not responding and their emails aren't bouncing back, but they won't get an official message saying you've blocked them.

Will blocking delete emails I already received from them?

In Gmail, yes — blocking automatically moves old emails to spam. In Outlook and Yahoo Mail, old emails stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself. You can always recover them later if needed.

Can I block someone on my phone?

Yes. The Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail apps all have block options. Open the email, tap the menu icon (three dots), and select block or junk. The process is the same as on a computer.

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

You'll need to block the new address separately. If this keeps happening, report the person to your email provider's abuse team, as it may violate their terms of service.

Can I block an entire domain or company?

Most email services don't have a built-in option to block entire domains at once. You can block individual addresses and create filters to send emails from a domain to spam, but you'll need to set up filters manually in your email settings.