The fastest way to block an email address

The method depends on which email service you use, but the basic steps are the same: find the message from the sender you want to block, open a menu (usually three dots or a downward arrow), and select "Block" or "Block sender". The email service then sends future messages from that address straight to spam or a blocked folder, and you will not see a notification.

Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have this feature built in. You do not need to read anything or change settings beforehand — you can block someone the moment their email arrives. Once blocked, you will not receive messages from that address, though the sender will not be told they are blocked.

Key Takeaways

  • In Gmail, open the message, click the three dots at the top right, and select "Block [sender name]" to send future emails to spam automatically.
  • In Outlook, right-click the sender's name in the message and choose "Block" from the menu, or use the junk button at the top of the inbox.
  • Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail have block options in their message menus, though the exact location varies by device and browser.
  • Blocking prevents you from seeing emails but does not stop the sender from sending — they will not receive a notification that they are blocked.
  • If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them by finding the blocked senders list in your email settings and removing the address.

How to block in Gmail

Open the email from the person you want to block. At the top right of the message, 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 message and all future ones from that address to your spam folder. You can still see blocked messages if you open the spam folder, but they will not appear in your inbox or trigger notifications. If you change your mind, go to Settings, click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find the address in the blocked list, and click "Unblock".

How to block in Outlook (web and desktop)

In Outlook on the web, open the message and click the three dots at the top right. Select "Block" from the menu. On the Outlook desktop app for Windows or Mac, right-click the sender's name in the message header and choose "Block Sender" from the context menu.

Blocked senders in Outlook go to the Junk folder. To see your blocked list or unblock someone, go to Settings, then Mail, then Junk Email. You will see a list of blocked senders and can remove addresses from it at any time.

How to block in Yahoo Mail

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three dots menu icon at the top of the message. Select "Block sender" from the dropdown. Yahoo Mail will send future emails from that address to your spam folder.

To unblock a sender in Yahoo Mail, go to Settings, click Blocked Addresses, and remove the email address from the list. You can also block addresses directly from your inbox by hovering over a message and clicking the block icon that appears.

How to block in Apple Mail

On an iPhone or iPad, open the email and tap the flag icon at the top right, then select "Block This Contact". On a Mac, right-click the sender's name in the message and choose "Block Contact" from the menu. Apple Mail will move blocked messages to the trash.

To unblock someone on iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, Mail, and scroll to the bottom to find Blocked Mail Contacts. On a Mac, open Mail Preferences, go to the Junk Mail tab, and click the "Blocked" button to see and manage your blocked list.

What happens when you block someone

When you block an email address, that sender's messages stop appearing in your inbox. Most email services route blocked messages to spam or trash automatically. You will not receive notifications when a blocked sender emails you, and you will not see their messages unless you manually check your spam or trash folder.

The sender does not receive a bounce-back message or any notification that they are blocked. From their perspective, the email appears to have been sent normally. They may not know you blocked them unless you tell them.

When blocking does not work

Blocking works for individual email addresses, but if someone sends you messages from multiple addresses, you will need to block each one separately. Some people use different email addresses on purpose to get around blocks, so blocking one address may not stop all unwanted mail from that person.

If you are receiving spam from many different addresses or from addresses that change frequently, blocking individual senders becomes impractical. In that case, look for filter or rule options in your email settings to catch messages by subject line, keywords, or sender domain instead. Most email services also have spam filters that learn over time — marking unwanted messages as spam trains the filter to catch similar messages automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. The sender will not receive any notification or bounce-back message. Their email will appear to send normally from their perspective. They only know you blocked them if you tell them or if they notice you never respond to their messages.

What if I block someone by mistake?

You can unblock them in your email settings. In Gmail, go to Settings and Filters and Blocked Addresses. In Outlook, go to Settings, Mail, and Junk Email. In Yahoo Mail, go to Settings and Blocked Addresses. Find the address and click unblock or remove.

Will blocking stop all emails from someone if they use different email addresses?

No. Blocking works only for the specific email address you blocked. If the sender uses a different address, those messages will still reach your inbox. You will need to block each address separately, or use filters to catch messages by other details like subject line or sender domain.

Do blocked emails go to spam or trash?

It depends on your email service. Gmail and Yahoo Mail send blocked messages to spam. Outlook sends them to junk. Apple Mail sends them to trash. You can usually change where blocked messages go in your email settings.

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

Most email services do not have a built-in block-by-domain feature, but you can create filters or rules to catch messages from a whole domain. In Gmail, use Filters to send messages from a domain to spam. In Outlook, create a rule to move messages from a domain to junk. Check your email service's help section for the exact steps.