The fastest way to block an email depends on which service you use

Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all have a built-in block feature, but the steps differ slightly. In Gmail, you open the email, click the three dots in the top right, and select "Block." In Outlook on the web, you click the three dots, choose "Junk," then "Block." In Apple Mail on Mac, you right-click the sender's name and select "Block Contact." On iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the email, tap the trash icon, then tap "Block This Contact" in the popup. Each method takes about 10 seconds and stops future emails from that address from reaching your inbox.

Blocking works differently than deleting. When you block someone, their emails go straight to spam or a blocked folder instead of your inbox — you won't see them unless you look. Deleting just removes one email. Blocking prevents all future emails from that sender from bothering you.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all have a one-click block button accessible from the email itself or the sender's contact card.
  • Blocked emails go to spam or a dedicated blocked folder, not your inbox, so you won't see notifications from that sender.
  • Blocking stops emails from one address only — if someone uses a different email address, those messages won't be blocked automatically.
  • You can unblock a sender at any time by finding them in your spam or blocked folder and selecting "Unblock."

Blocking in Gmail

Open the email from the sender you want to block. In the top right corner, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown menu appears with several options. Click "Block [sender's name]." Gmail will ask you to confirm — click "Block" again. The email moves to spam, and all future emails from that address go straight to spam without reaching your inbox.

If you want to block someone but have already deleted their email, go to your Spam folder, find any email from that sender, open it, and follow the same steps. You can also block someone from their contact card: search for their name in Gmail, click on their contact, click the three dots, and select "Block."

Blocking in Outlook (web and desktop)

In Outlook on the web, open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three dots in the top toolbar. Select "Junk," then "Block." Outlook moves the email to your Junk folder and sends all future emails from that address there automatically.

In Outlook on Windows or Mac desktop, the process is similar. Open the email, click "Junk" in the toolbar, then select "Block Sender." If you don't see a Junk button, look for a trash or three-dot menu icon. On Mac, you can also right-click the sender's name in the email header and select "Block Contact."

Blocking in Apple Mail on Mac and iPhone

On a Mac, open the email from the sender you want to block. Right-click (or Control-click) on the sender's name or email address in the "From" line. A menu appears — select "Block Contact." The email stays in your inbox, but a banner appears at the top saying the sender is blocked. Future emails from that address go to your Junk folder.

On iPhone or iPad, open the email and swipe left on it. A red trash icon appears. Tap and hold the trash icon, or tap the three dots if they appear, until a menu shows "Block This Contact." Tap it to confirm. Blocked emails will go to your Junk folder on all your Apple devices.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block an email address, that sender's messages no longer appear in your inbox. They go to spam, junk, or a blocked folder depending on your email service. You won't get notifications when they email you. The sender won't know they're blocked — their email will appear to send normally on their end, but you won't receive it.

Blocked emails stay in your spam or junk folder for 30 days (in Gmail) or longer (in Outlook and Apple Mail) before they're automatically deleted. If you change your mind, you can unblock the sender by finding their email in spam, opening it, and selecting "Unblock" or "Not Junk."

Blocking doesn't stop all variations of an email address

When you block someone@example.com, you block only that exact address. If the same person emails you from another.address@example.com or from a different domain entirely, those emails won't be blocked automatically. This is a common frustration: someone creates a new email account and their messages get through again.

If you're dealing with persistent unwanted email from multiple addresses, consider using your email service's filter or rule feature instead. In Gmail, you can create a filter that catches emails containing certain words or from certain domains. In Outlook and Apple Mail, you can set up rules that automatically move emails to junk based on sender name, subject line, or content. These tools catch variations that a straightforward block won't catch.

Unblocking an email address

If you blocked someone by mistake or want to hear from them again, you can unblock them. In Gmail, go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses," find the blocked address in the list, and click "Unblock." In Outlook on the web, go to Settings, select "Mail," then "Junk email," and find the blocked sender in the "Blocked Senders" list — click the X next to their name to unblock.

In Apple Mail on Mac, go to Mail menu, select "Preferences," click "Junk Mail," and find the sender in the list of blocked contacts — select them and click the minus button. On iPhone, open the email from the blocked sender (it will be in Junk), swipe left, and tap "Unblock This Contact."

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person I block know that I blocked them?

No. Their email will appear to send normally on their end, and they won't receive a notification that you blocked them. However, if they're paying attention, they might notice you stop responding to their emails.

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

Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail don't have a built-in domain block feature, but you can create a filter or rule that catches all emails from a domain. In Gmail, create a filter with "from:@example.com" to catch all addresses from that domain. In Outlook and Apple Mail, set up a rule based on the sender's domain name.

What if someone keeps emailing me from different addresses?

Block each address individually, or create a filter that catches emails based on content or subject line instead of sender. If the emails contain threats or harassment, report them to your email service's abuse team — most services can take action beyond blocking.

Do I need to block someone on my phone and computer separately?

No. If you block someone in Gmail or Outlook, the block syncs across all your devices automatically. In Apple Mail, blocks sync across devices that use the same iCloud account. You only need to block once.

Can I block emails with certain words in the subject line instead of blocking a person?

Yes, but it's a filter, not a block. In Gmail, create a filter with keywords in the subject line and set it to skip the inbox or delete automatically. In Outlook and Apple Mail, create a rule with the same settings. This catches unwanted emails even if they come from different senders.