The fastest way to stop emails from one person

The method 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 different for each one. The blocked person can still send you messages — they just won't land in your inbox, and you won't get a notification that they tried.

On most services, blocking takes about 30 seconds. Open an email from the person you want to block, find the block or report option (usually a three-dot menu or a "More" button), and select it. The service then sends their future emails to spam or a blocked folder automatically.

If you use a work email through Outlook or Gmail at your company, the steps are the same, but check with your IT department first — some workplaces restrict what employees can block.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have a built-in block feature that sends future emails from that person to spam or a blocked folder.
  • Blocking someone does not delete their past emails — you can still see old messages from them in your inbox unless you delete them yourself.
  • The blocked person is not notified that you blocked them, and their emails will not bounce back to them.
  • If someone is harassing you, blocking is a first step, but you may also want to report the emails as spam or contact law enforcement if the behavior is threatening.

How to block in Gmail

Open any email from the person you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the email. Select "Block [person's name]" from the dropdown menu.

Gmail will move that person's future emails to your spam folder automatically. If you want to unblock them later, go to Settings, click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find their name in the blocked list, and click "Unblock."

How to block in Outlook (web and desktop)

Open an email from the person you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon at the top of the email. Select "Block" or "Block sender."

On the desktop version of Outlook, you can also right-click the person's name in your inbox and choose "Block Sender" from the menu. Outlook sends their future emails to your Junk folder. To unblock, go to Settings, find Junk Email, and look for the blocked senders list.

How to block in Yahoo Mail

Open an email from the person you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon at the top of the email. Select "Block sender."

Yahoo moves their future emails to your spam folder. To unblock, click the gear icon for Settings, go to Security, find Blocked addresses, and remove their name from the list.

How to block in Apple Mail (iPhone, iPad, Mac)

On iPhone or iPad, open an email from the person you want to block. Tap the sender's name at the top of the email, then tap "Block this Contact." On a Mac, right-click the sender's name and select "Block Contact."

Apple Mail moves their future emails to your trash. Unlike other services, Apple Mail does not have a separate blocked senders list to manage — blocking is permanent until you manually unblock the person by opening their contact card and removing the block.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a person, their future emails go to spam or a blocked folder instead of your inbox. You will not see a notification that they sent you something. The person does not receive a message saying you blocked them — from their perspective, their emails are being sent normally.

Blocking does not delete emails they already sent you. If you want to remove old messages from that person, you have to delete them yourself. Some people delete old emails first, then block, so they do not have to see past messages either.

If you change your mind, you can unblock the person at any time, and their emails will start arriving in your inbox again. However, emails they sent while you had them blocked will not reappear — they stay in spam or the blocked folder.

When blocking is not enough

Blocking stops emails from reaching your inbox, but it does not stop someone from sending them. If someone is harassing you, threatening you, or sending unwanted messages repeatedly, you can also report their emails as spam or abuse. Most email services have a "Report spam" or "Report abuse" button alongside the block option.

If the emails contain threats, harassment, or illegal content, you can report them to your email provider's abuse team and keep copies of the messages. In serious cases, you may want to contact local law enforcement or a lawyer. If the person is someone you know — a coworker, family member, or acquaintance — you might also consider talking to them directly or involving a mediator before blocking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

No. They will not receive a notification, and their emails will not bounce back to them. From their end, it will look like their messages are being sent normally. They may eventually realize you are not responding, but they will not know for certain that you blocked them.

Can I block an email address instead of a person?

Yes. Most email services let you block a specific address. If someone is emailing you from multiple addresses, you will need to block each one separately. Some services also let you block entire domains (for example, all emails from company.com), though this is less common in personal email.

What if I blocked someone by mistake?

You can unblock them in your email settings. In Gmail, go to Settings and click Filters and Blocked Addresses. In Outlook, go to Settings and Junk Email. In Yahoo, go to Security and Blocked addresses. In Apple Mail, open their contact card and remove the block. Their future emails will start arriving in your inbox again.

Does blocking on email also block their text messages or phone calls?

No. Email blocking only affects email. If you want to block someone's phone number or text messages, you need to use your phone's built-in block feature, which is separate from email blocking.

Can I block someone without opening their email?

It depends on your email service. In Gmail and Outlook, you can right-click a sender's name in your inbox list and block them without opening the email. In Yahoo and Apple Mail, you usually need to open the email first to access the block option.