Block an iCloud sender on iPhone or iPad

Open the Mail app and find an email from the sender you want to block. Swipe left on the email (or long-press it), then tap the trash icon to delete it. After you delete an email from that sender, Mail will offer you the option to block them — tap Block when the prompt appears.

If you don't see the block option after deleting, open any email from that sender, tap the sender's name or email address at the top, then tap Block This Contact. Once blocked, emails from that address go straight to your trash folder automatically, and you won't see notifications for them.

To see your full block list or unblock someone later, go to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts. You can remove anyone from this list by tapping Edit and then the minus sign next to their name.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone or iPad, delete an email from the sender and tap Block when prompted, or tap their name and select Block This Contact.
  • On Mac, right-click an email from the sender and choose Block Contact from the menu.
  • On iCloud.com, click the flag icon on an email and select Block from the dropdown menu.
  • Blocked senders' emails go to your trash folder automatically, and you receive no notifications from them.
  • You can view and unblock contacts anytime in your device's settings or account preferences.

Block an iCloud sender on Mac

Open Mail and find an email from the person you want to block. Right-click the email and select Block Contact from the menu that appears. The sender is now blocked, and their future emails will go to your trash folder.

To manage your blocked list on Mac, open Mail, then go to Mail > Preferences > Junk Mail. Click the Blocked tab to see everyone you've blocked. You can remove someone by selecting their name and clicking the minus button.

Block an iCloud sender on iCloud.com

Log into iCloud.com and open Mail. Find an email from the sender you want to block. Click the flag icon (or the three-dot menu icon, depending on your browser view), then select Block from the dropdown options.

The sender's future emails will go to your trash automatically. To see your blocked list or unblock someone, click the settings gear icon in the lower left, then select Blocked Contacts.

What happens when you block someone on iCloud

When you block a sender, their emails no longer appear in your inbox. Instead, they go directly to your trash folder. You won't receive notifications or alerts when they send you messages, and iCloud doesn't notify the sender that you've blocked them.

Blocking only affects email — it does not block text messages, FaceTime calls, or other forms of contact. If you need to block someone across all Apple services, you'll need to use your device's Contacts app to block them separately.

Unblock an iCloud sender

If you change your mind, you can unblock someone at any time. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts, tap Edit, then tap the minus sign next to the person's name and confirm.

On Mac, open Mail > Preferences > Junk Mail, click the Blocked tab, select the contact, and click the minus button. On iCloud.com, click the settings gear, select Blocked Contacts, find the person, and click Unblock.

When blocking doesn't work as expected

If emails from a blocked sender still reach your inbox, they may be using a different email address. Spammers and scammers often send from multiple addresses, so you may need to block each one separately as they arrive.

Another reason blocked emails might still appear is if they're being forwarded to your iCloud address from another account. Check your Mail rules and forwarding settings to see if emails are being redirected before they reach iCloud's blocking filter. You can manage these in Settings > Mail > Rules on Mac or in iCloud.com's settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

iCloud's block feature works on individual email addresses only, not entire domains. If you're receiving spam from many addresses at the same domain, you'll need to block each address separately or use Mail rules to send them to trash automatically. On Mac or iCloud.com, you can create a rule that catches emails from that domain and routes them to trash.

Will the person I block know I blocked them?

No. iCloud does not notify senders when you block them. They won't receive a message or any indication that their emails aren't reaching you — their messages will straightforward appear to send normally from their end.

What's the difference between blocking and marking as spam?

Blocking sends all future emails from that address to trash automatically. Marking as spam trains iCloud's filter to recognize similar messages and catch them in the future, but it doesn't may provide every email from that sender will be blocked. Blocking is more direct and complete.

Can I block someone if I've already deleted their email?

Yes. Go to your Trash folder, find an email from that sender, and block them using the same method you would in your inbox. The block will explore to all future emails from that address, regardless of where you initiated it.

Do blocked emails stay in my trash folder forever?

No. iCloud automatically empties your trash folder after 30 days. Blocked emails follow the same rule — they'll be permanently deleted after a month unless you manually empty trash sooner.