The fastest way to block an email address

Most email providers let you block a sender in one or two clicks. Open any email from the person you want to block, look for a menu icon (usually three dots or a downward arrow) near the top or bottom of the message, and select "Block" or "Block sender." The exact wording and location depend on which email service you use, but the result is the same: future emails from that address go straight to spam or a blocked folder instead of your inbox.

Blocking works at the address level, not the person level. If someone has multiple email addresses, you will need to block each one separately. The person does not get a notification that you blocked them — the email straightforward fails to reach you, and they may never know why their messages stopped getting through.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking sends future emails from that address to spam or a blocked folder, but does not delete messages already in your inbox.
  • You can block a sender from the email itself by finding the menu icon and selecting "Block" — no settings page required.
  • If someone uses multiple email addresses, you must block each address separately.
  • The person you block will not receive a notification, and blocking does not prevent them from sending — it only hides their messages from you.
  • Unblocking is just as straightforward: go to your blocked senders list and remove the address.

How to block in Gmail

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the message. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will move that message and all future ones from that address to your spam folder automatically.

If you want to see your full list of blocked addresses in Gmail, go to Settings, click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, and scroll to the bottom. You can unblock anyone from this list by clicking "Unblock" next to their address. Blocking in Gmail does not delete old messages — they stay in your inbox unless you delete them manually.

How to block in Outlook and Outlook.com

In Outlook on the web, open an email from the person you want to block. Click the three-dot menu at the top right and select "Block." In the Outlook desktop app for Windows or Mac, right-click the sender's name in the message and choose "Block Sender" from the context menu. Outlook will send future emails from that address to your Junk folder.

To see your blocked senders list in Outlook.com, go to Settings, select Mail, then Junk Email. You will see a list of blocked addresses and can remove anyone from it. Blocking in Outlook does not affect messages already in your inbox — you can delete those yourself if you want them gone.

How to block in Yahoo Mail

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-line menu icon (hamburger menu) in the top right corner of the message. Select "Block sender." Yahoo will route all future emails from that address to your spam folder. The sender's old messages stay in your inbox unless you delete them.

To manage your blocked list in Yahoo Mail, click the gear icon in the top right, select Settings, go to Blocked Addresses, and you will see everyone you have blocked. You can unblock someone by clicking the X next to their name.

What blocking does and does not do

Blocking stops emails from reaching your inbox, but it does not erase messages that are already there. If you want those old emails gone, you need to delete them yourself — blocking only affects new messages going forward. The sender can still send you emails; they just will not see a delivery failure or bounce-back message. From their perspective, the email went through normally.

Blocking is not the same as unsubscribing. If you receive marketing emails or newsletters, look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the message first. Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list, while blocking hides one specific email address. For unwanted marketing, unsubscribing is often the better choice because it stops the sender from contacting you through official channels.

If someone is harassing you through email, blocking is a good first step, but it has limits. Blocking one address does not stop someone from creating new addresses and contacting you again. If the harassment continues after you block, you may need to report it to your email provider or, in serious cases, to law enforcement.

How to unblock someone

Unblocking is straightforward in every major email service. In Gmail, go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, find the person you want to unblock, and click "Unblock." In Outlook.com, go to Settings, select Mail, click Junk Email, find the address, and click "Unblock." In Yahoo Mail, click Settings, select Blocked Addresses, and click the X next to the person's name.

Once you unblock someone, their emails will go back to your inbox like normal. Old messages that arrived while they were blocked will not reappear — they stay in spam or wherever they landed. If you unblock by mistake, you can always block again when ready.

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 the message was sent successfully. They may eventually notice you are not responding, but they will not know for certain that you blocked them.

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

Most consumer email services do not offer domain-level blocking through the standard interface. You can block individual addresses, but if someone has multiple addresses at the same domain, you will need to block each one. Some email providers offer more advanced filtering options if you access their settings directly, but this varies by service.

What if someone keeps contacting me from new email addresses after I block them?

If blocking one address does not stop the harassment, you can block each new address as it arrives. If this pattern continues, report it to your email provider — most have abuse teams that can investigate repeated harassment. Keep records of the messages and dates. In cases of serious or threatening harassment, you can also report it to local law enforcement.

Does blocking someone prevent them from seeing my emails if I already sent them?

No. Blocking only affects incoming messages. Emails you already sent to someone will still be in their inbox. Blocking does not retroactively remove messages you sent in the past.

If I block someone and then unblock them, will I see the emails they sent while I was blocking them?

No. Emails that arrived while someone was blocked typically stay in your spam or blocked folder. Unblocking does not move them back to your inbox. You can manually move them if you want to see them, but they will not reappear on their own.