The fastest way to block an email address depends on which service you use
Most email providers let you block a sender in one or two clicks from the message itself. In Gmail, open the email, click the three-dot menu in the top right, and select "Block [sender's name]." In Outlook, right-click the sender's name and choose "Block." Yahoo Mail has a similar option under the message menu. Once you block someone, their emails go straight to spam and you won't see notifications from them.
The exact steps vary slightly between services, but the principle is the same: you're telling your email provider to automatically sort that sender's messages away from your inbox. This doesn't delete past emails — they stay in your spam folder — and it doesn't notify the sender that you've blocked them.
If you don't see a block option in your email's menu, you can create a filter or rule that sends messages from that address directly to spam. This accomplishes the same thing, though it takes a few more steps.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and most other providers have a block button in the message menu — usually three dots or a right-click option.
- Blocking sends future emails from that sender to spam automatically, but does not delete messages already in your inbox.
- If your email service doesn't have a dedicated block feature, you can create a filter or rule to send that sender's messages to spam instead.
- Blocking someone does not notify them, and they will not know you have blocked their address.
- You can unblock a sender at any time through your email settings or spam folder.
How to block in Gmail
Open any email from the sender you want to block. In the top right corner of the message, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown menu appears with several options. Click "Block [sender's name]" — it's usually near the bottom of the list.
Gmail will ask you to confirm. Click "Block" again. From that moment on, any email from that address goes directly to your spam folder, and you won't receive notifications. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them by going to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses, finding their name, and clicking "Unblock."
How to block in Outlook (web and desktop)
In Outlook on the web, open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu at the top of the message and select "Block." Outlook will move that email to spam and block future messages from that address.
In Outlook on your computer (the desktop app), right-click the sender's name in the email header and choose "Block Sender" from the menu. You can also open the email, go to the Home tab, click "Junk," and select "Block Sender." Either way, future emails from that person go to your Junk folder automatically.
How to block in Yahoo Mail
Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon at the top of the message. Select "Block sender." Yahoo will confirm the block and move that email to spam.
If you want to unblock someone later, go to your Mail settings, click "Security and privacy," scroll to "Blocked addresses," and click the X next to their name.
How to block in Apple Mail and other providers
In Apple Mail on Mac or iPhone, open the email and look for the sender's name at the top. Tap or click on it, then select "Block This Contact" from the menu that appears. On iPhone, you may need to tap the sender's name first to reveal the block option.
For other email services — including corporate email systems, ProtonMail, or smaller providers — look for a menu icon (three dots or a gear) in the message header. Most will have a block, spam, or filter option. If you cannot find one, check your email provider's help documentation or settings page under "Filters" or "Rules," where you can create a custom rule to send that sender's messages to spam.
What happens when you block someone
When you block an email address, your email provider automatically sends all future messages from that sender to your spam or junk folder. You won't see them in your inbox, and you won't get a notification that they've sent you something. The sender does not receive any notification that you've blocked them — from their perspective, they straightforward don't know whether you've read their emails or not.
Blocking does not delete emails that are already in your inbox. If you want to remove old messages from a blocked sender, you'll need to delete them manually or create a filter that moves them to spam retroactively (though most email services only explore filters to new incoming mail).
If the blocked sender uses a different email address, their messages from that new address will not be blocked automatically. You'll need to block each address separately.
How to unblock someone if you change your mind
In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses. Find the person's name and click "Unblock." In Outlook, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders, find the address, and click the trash icon to remove it. In Yahoo, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Blocked addresses and click the X next to their name.
Once you unblock someone, their future emails will arrive in your inbox normally again. Any emails they sent while they were blocked will still be in your spam folder — unblocking doesn't move them back to your inbox automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person I block know that I blocked them?
No. Blocking is invisible to the sender. They won't receive a notification, and they have no way to know whether you've blocked them or straightforward aren't responding to their emails. If they send you a message and you don't reply, they may suspect something, but the email system itself tells them nothing.
Can I block an entire domain instead of just one email address?
Most email providers don't have a built-in option to block an entire domain at once. However, you can create a filter or rule that catches all emails from that domain. In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter, enter the domain (for example, @company.com) in the "From" field, and select "Delete" or "Skip the Inbox." In Outlook, create a rule under Settings > Mail > Rules that sends emails from that domain to junk.
What if someone keeps emailing me from different addresses?
Block each address as it appears. If the same person is using multiple addresses to contact you after you've asked them to stop, that may constitute harassment. Check your email provider's reporting options — most allow you to report abusive senders, which can result in action against the account.
Does blocking on email also block them on other services?
No. Blocking someone's email address only affects that email service. If you want to block them on social media, messaging apps, or other platforms, you'll need to use the block feature in each service separately.
Can I block emails by subject line or keyword instead of by sender?
Yes, through filters and rules. In Gmail, create a filter with keywords in the "Subject" or "Has the words" field and set it to skip your inbox or delete. In Outlook, create a rule that looks for specific words and moves those messages to junk. This is useful for blocking newsletters or automated messages, though it's less precise than blocking by sender address.