The fastest way to block an email sender

Open the email from the sender you want to block, tap the sender's name or email address at the top, then tap Block this Contact. That's it — their future emails go straight to trash and you won't see notifications from them.

If you've already deleted the email, you can still block the sender. Go to Settings > Mail > VIP or Blocked Contacts, tap Blocked Contacts, then tap Edit and Add to create a new blocked entry. Type or paste the email address you want to block.

Blocked senders can still send you mail — their messages just skip your inbox and land in a separate folder you can check later if you need to. They won't know they're blocked.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap the sender's name in any email and select Block this Contact to send all their future messages to a blocked folder.
  • Blocked emails don't delete automatically — they collect in a folder you can review if you change your mind later.
  • You can block email addresses directly in Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts without needing an email from them first.
  • Blocking works across Mail, but third-party email apps like Gmail or Outlook have their own separate block settings.
  • If someone uses multiple email addresses, you'll need to block each address separately.

Blocking from the Mail app settings

If you want to block someone before they even send you an email, or if you've deleted all their messages, use the Mail settings. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Mail, then tap Blocked Contacts.

Tap Edit in the top right corner, then tap the green plus sign to add a new blocked contact. Type or paste the full email address, then tap Save. The address is now blocked — any mail from that sender will go to your blocked folder.

To unblock someone, go back to Blocked Contacts, tap Edit, tap the red minus sign next to their name, then tap Delete. They'll start appearing in your inbox again.

Where blocked emails actually go

Blocked emails don't disappear — they land in a folder called Blocked in your Mail app. You can find it by scrolling down in your mailbox list. Apple doesn't delete blocked messages automatically, so you can review them later if you need to.

To see your blocked folder, open Mail and look at your list of mailboxes. If you don't see Blocked listed, tap Edit at the bottom of the mailbox list and make sure Blocked is toggled on. Once it's visible, tap it to see all messages from blocked senders.

Blocking in third-party email apps

If you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or another email app on your iPhone, blocking works differently in each one. The Mail app's block feature only affects the built-in Apple Mail — it doesn't block senders in other apps.

In Gmail, open an email from the sender, tap the three dots menu, and select Block. In Outlook, swipe left on the email and tap Block. Yahoo Mail has a similar swipe-left menu. Check your specific app's help section if you're not sure where the block option is.

If you block someone in Gmail's app but still see their emails in Apple Mail, it's because the two apps don't share block lists. You'll need to block them separately in each app you use.

What happens when you block someone

Once you block an email address, you won't see notifications when they send you mail. Their messages arrive silently in your Blocked folder. You can check that folder whenever you want, but you won't get alerts.

The sender has no way to know they're blocked — their email goes through normally on their end, and they won't receive a bounce-back message. If they contact you through another method asking why you're not responding, that's the only way they'd find out.

Blocking is permanent until you unblock them. There's no time limit — a blocked address stays blocked until you manually remove it from your Blocked Contacts list.

Blocking multiple addresses from the same person

Some senders use different email addresses to get around blocks. If someone keeps contacting you from new addresses, you'll need to block each one separately. There's no way to block an entire domain (like all addresses ending in @example.com) in the iPhone Mail app.

As each new email arrives from a different address, open it and tap Block this Contact. Repeat this for every address they use. If it becomes a pattern, consider using your email provider's spam filters or rules, which may offer more advanced blocking options than the Mail app.

Using VIP and other Mail organization tools

The Mail app also has a VIP list, which is the opposite of blocking — it highlights emails from people you want to prioritize. You can access VIP in Settings > Mail > VIP. This doesn't block anyone, but it helps you focus on important senders.

You can also create rules in some email providers (like Gmail's filters or Outlook's rules) that automatically delete, archive, or sort emails from specific addresses. These work alongside blocking and give you more control over how messages are handled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them on iPhone?

No. Their email still sends normally and they won't get a rejection message. They only know you blocked them if you tell them or if they notice you stop responding to emails from that address.

What if I block someone by mistake?

Go to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts, tap Edit, find the address you want to unblock, tap the red minus sign, and tap Delete. Their future emails will go back to your inbox and you'll see notifications again.

Do I need to block someone in both Mail and Gmail if I use both apps?

Yes. Blocking in Apple Mail only affects the Mail app. If you also use Gmail's app, you need to block them separately there. The two apps don't share block lists.

Can I block an entire email domain instead of individual addresses?

The Mail app doesn't support domain-level blocking. You can only block individual email addresses. If you need to block an entire domain, you may need to use your email provider's advanced filters or spam settings.

Will blocked emails take up storage space on my iPhone?

Yes. Blocked emails are stored in your Blocked folder just like regular emails. If you want to free up space, you can delete them from the Blocked folder, but you can't automatically delete blocked emails.