The fastest way to block depends on which email service you use
Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have a block feature built in, but the steps are slightly different for each one. The basic idea is the same: you find the email from the sender you want to block, click a menu or button, and select block. After that, their messages go straight to spam or a blocked folder, and you won't see notifications from them.
Most services also let you unblock someone later if you change your mind. The block is on your account only — it doesn't affect whether they can send the email; it just stops you from seeing it.
Key Takeaways
- In Gmail, open the email, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender]" to send their future messages to spam.
- Outlook users should right-click the sender's name and choose "Block" from the menu, or use the junk button in the toolbar.
- Yahoo Mail has a block option in the message menu; blocked senders' mail goes to spam automatically.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to your blocked senders list in settings and removing their address.
- Blocking only affects your inbox — it does not stop the sender from emailing you, and they won't be notified that you blocked them.
How to block in Gmail
Open the email from the person you want to block. In the top right corner, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Click "Block [sender's name]."
Gmail will move that email and all future messages from that address to your spam folder. You won't get notifications when they send you something. If you ever want to unblock them, go to Settings, click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find their address in the blocked list, and click Unblock next to their name.
How to block in Outlook
Right-click on the email from the sender you want to block. A context menu will pop up. Select "Block" or "Junk" depending on your Outlook version. Alternatively, click the email once to select it, then click the Junk button in the toolbar at the top and choose "Block Sender."
Outlook moves blocked messages to your Junk folder. To unblock someone, go to Settings, select Mail, then Junk Email, and look for the Blocked Senders tab. Find their address and click the minus sign to remove them from the blocked list.
How to block in Yahoo Mail
Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon at the top of the message. Select "Block sender" from the options that appear.
Yahoo Mail will automatically send their future emails to spam. To see your blocked senders or unblock someone, go to Settings, click Blocked Addresses under the Privacy section, and manage your list from there.
How to block in Apple Mail
If you use Apple Mail on a Mac, right-click the email from the sender you want to block. Select "Block Contact" from the menu. On an iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the email and tap the block icon (it looks like a circle with a slash through it).
Blocked senders' messages go to your spam folder. To unblock someone, go to Mail settings, find the Blocked section, and remove their address from the list.
What happens after you block someone
Once you block an email address, all messages from that sender go directly to your spam or junk folder. You won't see them in your inbox, and you won't get notifications when they send you something. The sender does not receive any notification that you blocked them — from their perspective, they straightforward won't know whether you read their emails.
Blocking is not the same as unsubscribing from a mailing list. If someone is sending you unwanted marketing emails, look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the message first. That tells the sender's system to remove you from their list. Blocking is better for personal emails from someone you don't want to hear from.
When to block versus report as spam
Blocking stops you from seeing someone's emails. Reporting as spam tells your email service that the sender is sending unwanted or malicious messages, which helps train the spam filter for everyone. If someone is sending you repeated unwanted messages, you can do both: report the first few as spam, then block the address.
If you receive emails that look like phishing attempts — messages pretending to be from your bank or a service you use, asking you to click a link or enter your password — report those as spam before blocking. That helps your email provider identify and block the scam for other users too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?
No. They won't receive any notification. Their emails will straightforward go to your spam folder, and they won't know whether you read them or not. From their side, the email appears to have been sent normally.
What if I block someone by mistake?
You can unblock them at any time through your email settings. In Gmail, go to Settings and Filters and Blocked Addresses. In Outlook, Junk Email settings. In Yahoo, Privacy settings. Find their address and remove them from the blocked list. Future emails from them will go back to your inbox.
Does blocking stop someone from emailing me?
No. Blocking only stops you from seeing their emails. They can still send messages to your address; those messages just go to your spam folder instead of your inbox. If you need to prevent someone from contacting you entirely, you may need to change your email address or contact your email provider's support team.
Can I block an entire domain instead of just one email address?
Most email services block individual addresses, not entire domains. However, Gmail and Outlook allow you to create filters that automatically send emails from a domain to spam. In Gmail, go to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, and create a new filter using the domain name (for example, @unwanteddomain.com). In Outlook, use the Focused Inbox settings to move messages from a domain to junk automatically.
What's the difference between blocking and muting?
Blocking sends someone's emails to spam so you don't see them at all. Muting (available in Gmail) keeps their emails in your inbox but silences notifications and removes them from your conversation list. Use muting if you want to keep the emails but don't want to be bothered by them. Use blocking if you don't want to see them at all.