The fastest way to block an email sender

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Look for a three-dot menu icon (in Gmail and Outlook) or a down arrow (in Apple Mail) near the top right of the message. Click it, then select "Block [sender's name]" or "Block sender". The email disappears from your inbox, and future messages from that address go straight to spam or trash.

This works the same way across all three major email services, though the exact wording and button location shifts slightly. The result is identical: you will not see messages from that sender again unless you unblock them later.

If you cannot find the menu button, your email service may have moved it during a recent update. The alternative method — marking the message as spam — works just as well and teaches your email filter to catch similar messages automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • The block button sits in a three-dot menu (Gmail, Outlook) or dropdown arrow (Apple Mail) at the top of any message from that sender.
  • Blocking sends future emails to spam or a blocked folder; the sender does not receive a notification that you blocked them.
  • If you cannot locate the block option, marking the message as spam accomplishes the same goal and trains your filter.
  • You can unblock a sender at any time by finding them in your blocked list and removing them.
  • Blocking one email address does not block similar addresses — if a sender uses multiple accounts, you may need to block each one separately.

Blocking in Gmail

Open any email from the sender. At the top right of the message, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown list appears. Select "Block [sender's email address]".

Gmail moves the current message to spam and sends all future emails from that address directly to your spam folder. You will not see a notification in your inbox. If you change your mind, you can unblock the sender by opening Gmail settings, clicking the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab, finding the sender's address in the blocked list, and clicking "Unblock".

Blocking in Outlook (web and desktop)

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three dots at the top right of the message. Select "Block" from the menu that appears.

Outlook moves the message to your junk folder and routes all future emails from that sender to junk automatically. The block applies across Outlook.com, Outlook on the web, and the Outlook desktop app if you use the same account. To unblock, go to Settings, select "Mail", then "Junk email", and look for the sender's address in the "Blocked senders" list.

Blocking in Apple Mail

Open the email from the sender. Click the down arrow next to the sender's name at the top of the message. Select "Block Contact" from the menu.

Apple Mail adds the sender to your blocked list and future messages go to the trash folder. Unlike Gmail and Outlook, Apple Mail does not have a dedicated spam folder — blocked messages straightforward move to trash. To unblock, open the Mail app, go to Preferences (or Settings on Mac), click the "Junk Mail" tab, and remove the sender from the blocked list.

What happens after you block someone

The sender does not receive any notification that you blocked them. They will not see a bounce-back message or any indication that their emails are not reaching you. From their perspective, the emails straightforward disappear into the void.

Emails already in your inbox from that sender remain there unless you delete them manually. Blocking only affects new messages going forward. If you want to remove old emails from a blocked sender, you must delete them yourself or move them to trash.

If the sender switches to a different email address, the block does not carry over. You will see messages from the new address unless you block that one too. This is why blocking works best for unwanted marketing or spam — if someone is harassing you across multiple accounts, blocking alone may not be enough.

When to use spam instead of block

Marking a message as spam trains your email filter to catch similar messages automatically, even from addresses you have not blocked. Use spam for marketing emails, newsletters you no longer want, or messages from unfamiliar senders. Use block for specific people or addresses you know and want to stop hearing from.

Some email services treat spam and block the same way — both send messages to a spam or junk folder. The practical difference is that spam teaches your filter, while block is a direct action against one address. If you mark several emails as spam, your filter learns to catch similar ones on its own.

Unblocking a sender

You can unblock a sender at any time. In Gmail, go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses", find the sender in the blocked list, and click "Unblock". In Outlook, go to Settings, select "Mail", then "Junk email", find the sender under "Blocked senders", and remove them. In Apple Mail, open Preferences, click the "Junk Mail" tab, find the sender, and delete them from the blocked list.

After you unblock, emails from that sender will arrive in your inbox normally again. There is no waiting period — the unblock takes effect when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the sender know I blocked them?

No. The sender receives no notification. Their emails straightforward fail to arrive in your inbox, and they have no way to know whether you blocked them, marked them as spam, or your email service is having a technical problem.

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

Gmail and Outlook allow you to block entire domains through their advanced filter settings, though this requires going into settings rather than using the quick block button. Apple Mail does not have a built-in domain block feature, but you can create a rule to send all emails from a domain to trash. Check your email service's help documentation for the exact steps.

What if someone keeps emailing me from different addresses?

You can block multiple addresses one at a time, but this becomes tedious if the sender has many accounts. Consider reporting the messages as spam instead, which trains your filter to catch similar patterns. If the harassment is severe, contact your email provider's abuse team or consider changing your email address.

Will blocking stop text messages or calls from the same person?

No. Email blocking only affects email. If someone is contacting you through text, phone, or other apps, you must block them separately in each service.

Can I block someone without opening their email?

In most cases, no — you need to open the message to access the block button. However, some email services let you right-click a sender's name in your inbox list and select block from a context menu. Check your email service to see if this option is available.