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

Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have a block feature built in, but the steps differ slightly. In Gmail, open the email, click the three dots in the top right, and select "Block [sender]." In Outlook on the web, click the three dots, choose "Junk," then "Block." On Yahoo Mail, click the three dots and select "Block sender." Apple Mail on Mac and iPhone requires you to select the email, then use the Mail menu to choose "Junk" or swipe left on iPhone and tap "Trash," though blocking is less direct than other services.

Once you block someone, their emails go straight to your spam or junk folder automatically. You won't see notifications, and they won't know they're blocked — the email just disappears from your inbox. If you change your mind, you can unblock them later by visiting your blocked senders list in settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail have a block button in the email menu; Apple Mail requires using the Junk folder instead.
  • Blocked emails go to spam or junk automatically, and the sender receives no notification that they are blocked.
  • You can unblock a sender at any time through your email settings, usually under "Blocked addresses" or "Blocked senders."
  • Blocking works only for that email account; if someone emails you from a different address, you will need to block that one separately.
  • For persistent harassment or threats, report the email to your email provider and consider contacting law enforcement rather than blocking alone.

How to block in Gmail

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

The sender's future emails will land in your spam folder. If you want to see what Gmail blocked, check your spam folder occasionally — sometimes legitimate emails get caught by mistake. To unblock someone, go to Gmail Settings, click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab, find the blocked sender, and click "Unblock."

How to block in Outlook (web and desktop)

In Outlook on the web, open the email and click the three dots in the top right. Select "Junk," then "Block." Outlook will move the email to your junk folder and block future messages from that sender. On Outlook desktop (Windows), right-click the email, hover over "Junk," and select "Block Sender."

To see your blocked senders list in Outlook on the web, go to Settings, then "Mail," then "Junk email." You will see a list of blocked addresses. Click the X next to any address to unblock them. On desktop, go to File, Options, Trust Center, Junk Email, and you will find the blocked senders list there.

How to block in Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail

In Yahoo Mail, open the email and click the three dots. Select "Block sender." Yahoo will move the email to spam and block future messages. To unblock, go to Settings, click "Security and privacy," then "Blocked addresses," and remove the sender from the list.

Apple Mail does not have a dedicated block button like other services. Instead, select the email, then go to the Mail menu at the top and choose "Junk" (on Mac) or swipe left and tap "Trash" (on iPhone). This trains Apple's filter to treat that sender as spam, but it is not a true block. To manage blocked senders on iPhone, go to Settings, Mail, Blocked Contacts, and add addresses manually if needed.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a sender, their emails go to your spam or junk folder instead of your inbox. You will not receive notifications about their messages, and the folder will not show an unread count for blocked emails. The sender does not receive a bounce-back message or any notification that they are blocked — their email straightforward appears to send normally on their end.

Blocking is account-specific. If someone emails you from multiple addresses, you will need to block each one separately. If they create a new email account and contact you again, that new address will not be blocked unless you block it too. For this reason, blocking is most useful for unwanted marketing or occasional spam, not for determined harassment.

When blocking is not enough

If someone is sending threatening messages, harassing you repeatedly, or using multiple accounts to contact you after you have asked them to stop, blocking alone may not be sufficient. Report the emails to your email provider — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Apple all have abuse reporting tools. Click the three dots on the email and select "Report phishing," "Report spam," or "Report abuse" depending on your service.

Keep copies of the threatening or harassing emails before deleting them. If the harassment continues or escalates, contact local law enforcement and provide them with the email headers and timestamps. Email headers contain technical information about where the email came from and can help authorities trace the sender. Your email provider can also provide headers and logs to law enforcement if they request them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

No. When you block someone, their emails straightforward go to spam. They do not receive a notification, a bounce-back message, or any indication that they are blocked. If they email you from a different address, you will not see those emails either unless you unblock the original address.

What if I blocked someone by mistake?

You can unblock them anytime through your email settings. In Gmail, go to Settings and "Filters and Blocked Addresses." In Outlook, go to Settings, Mail, Junk Email. In Yahoo, go to Settings, Security and Privacy, Blocked Addresses. Find the sender and click the option to unblock or remove them from the list.

Does blocking work across all my devices?

Yes, if you use the web version of your email service. Blocking in Gmail on your computer will block that sender on your phone too, because the block is stored in your account settings. If you use a desktop email client like Outlook or Apple Mail, blocks may be device-specific unless you sync your settings.

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

Most email services do not have a built-in domain block feature in the regular block menu. However, Gmail and Outlook allow you to create filters or rules that automatically send emails from a domain to spam. In Gmail, go to Settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, and create a filter using the "from" field with a wildcard like @example.com.

What if the sender is spoofing someone else's email address?

Spoofed emails appear to come from a legitimate address but are actually sent by someone else. Blocking the visible sender address will not stop the real sender. Report the email as phishing or spam to your provider, who can investigate the actual source. Do not click links or read attachments from spoofed emails.