Block a sender in AOL Mail

To block an email address in AOL Mail, open the message from the sender you want to block, click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the email, and select Block sender. AOL will move that sender's future emails to your Spam folder automatically. You can also block a sender without opening their email by right-clicking on their name in your inbox and choosing Block sender from the menu.

Once you block someone, their emails stop appearing in your inbox when ready. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them by going to your Mail Settings, finding the Blocked Senders list, and removing their address. The block only affects that one email address — if the person sends from a different address, those emails will still reach your inbox.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders' emails go to your Spam folder, not deleted, so you can review them later if needed.
  • You can block a sender from inside an email or by right-clicking their name in your inbox list.
  • Blocking one email address does not block other addresses the same person might use.
  • You can view and remove blocked senders anytime in your Mail Settings under the Blocked Senders section.

Where to find your blocked senders list

Your blocked senders list lives in AOL Mail Settings. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your inbox, then select Settings. In the left menu, click Blocked Senders. This page shows every address you have blocked and lets you remove blocks if you want to receive their emails again.

The blocked senders list is specific to your AOL account, so if you have multiple AOL email addresses, each one has its own separate list. Blocking someone in one account does not affect your other accounts.

What happens to blocked emails

When you block a sender, their emails do not disappear — they go to your Spam folder instead. This means you can still read them later if you need to, but they will not clutter your inbox or send you notifications. You can check your Spam folder anytime by clicking Spam in the left sidebar of your inbox.

If a blocked sender's email lands in Spam and you decide you want to hear from them after all, you can unblock them from your Blocked Senders list. Their future emails will then return to your inbox normally.

Block emails by subject line or sender domain

AOL Mail also lets you create filters to handle emails more broadly. If you want to block all emails from a company domain (like anyone with an @example.com address), you can set up a filter instead of blocking individual addresses. Click the gear icon, go to Settings, then select Filters. Click Add a filter and enter the domain or keyword you want to block.

Filters are useful when you receive unwanted emails from multiple people at the same organization, or when you want to block emails with certain words in the subject line. You can set filters to send matching emails to Spam, delete them, or move them to a specific folder. Unlike blocking, which only works on exact email addresses, filters can match patterns and catch variations.

Unblock a sender you blocked by mistake

If you blocked someone and want to receive their emails again, go to your Mail Settings and click Blocked Senders. Find the address in the list and click the X or Remove button next to it. That sender's emails will no longer go to Spam and will arrive in your inbox normally from that point forward.

Unblocking does not restore emails that were already sent to Spam while the block was active. If you need to read an old email from that sender, check your Spam folder first before unblocking them.

Difference between blocking and reporting spam

Blocking a sender and reporting an email as spam are two different actions in AOL Mail. When you block someone, only your inbox is affected — their future emails go to your Spam folder. When you report an email as spam, you send feedback to AOL about that message, which helps AOL improve its spam filters for all users.

You can do both at once: report a message as spam and then block the sender. Open the email, click the three-dot menu, and select Report spam. Then use the same menu to select Block sender. This protects your inbox and helps AOL identify patterns in unwanted mail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block emails from a whole company or domain?

Yes, use filters instead of blocking individual addresses. Go to Settings, click Filters, and create a new filter with the domain name (like @companyname.com). Set it to send matching emails to Spam. This blocks everyone at that organization in one step.

Will a blocked sender know I blocked them?

No. Blocking someone in AOL Mail is silent — they will not receive a notification or bounce-back message. Their emails straightforward go to your Spam folder without any indication to them that you blocked them.

Can I block emails on my phone or tablet?

Yes. In the AOL Mail app, open an email from the sender you want to block, tap the three-dot menu, and select Block sender. The process is the same on both iPhone and Android. Your blocked list syncs across all your devices.

What if someone keeps emailing me from different addresses?

Block each address individually, or use a filter to block by domain if they are all from the same company. If the sender is harassing you, consider reporting the emails as spam and keeping records of the messages in case you need them later.

Can I block emails without opening them?

Yes. In your inbox list, right-click on the sender's name and select Block sender. You can also hover over an email and click the block icon if it appears. This lets you block someone without reading their message.