The fastest way to block an email address

The method depends on which email service you use, but all three major platforms—Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail—let you block a sender in under a minute. In Gmail, open the email, click the three dots in the top right, and select "Block [sender's name]." In Outlook on the web, click the three dots, choose "Junk," then "Block." In Apple Mail on Mac, select the email and go to Mail menu > Junk Mail > Add Sender to Junk Mail List. On iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the email and tap the trash icon, then tap "Report Junk."

When you block someone, their emails go straight to your spam or junk folder automatically. You won't see notifications, and they won't know they're blocked—the email straightforward disappears from your inbox. If the person sends you mail from a different address, that mail won't be blocked unless you block that address too.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all have built-in block features that send a sender's emails to spam or junk without notifying them.
  • Blocking works per email address, so if someone sends from multiple addresses, you need to block each one separately.
  • Blocked emails still arrive on the server but skip your inbox—you can still view them in your spam folder if you need to.
  • If blocking doesn't stop the mail, the sender may be using a new email address or spoofing (faking) their address, which requires additional steps.

Blocking in Gmail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Look for the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top right corner of the email and click it. A menu appears with several options. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the list.

Gmail will ask you to confirm. Click "Block" again. The sender is now blocked—their future emails go to your spam folder, and you won't see them in your inbox. If you change your mind, you can unblock them by going to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses, finding their name, and clicking "Unblock."

If you receive mail from the same person using a different email address, Gmail won't automatically block that new address. You'll need to open an email from the new address and block it separately using the same three-dot menu.

Blocking in Outlook (web and desktop)

On Outlook.com or Outlook on the web: Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three dots (⋮) at the top of the email. Select "Junk" from the menu, then click "Block." Outlook moves the email to your Junk folder and blocks future mail from that address.

On Outlook desktop (Windows): Right-click the email from the sender. Select "Junk" and then "Block Sender." The sender is now blocked, and their emails go to your Junk folder. To unblock, go to Home > Junk > Junk E-mail Options, click the "Blocked Senders" tab, find the address, and click "Remove."

On Outlook for Mac: Select the email and go to Junk > Add Sender to Blocked List. Like the Windows version, you can manage blocked senders by opening Junk settings and clicking the "Blocked Senders" tab.

Blocking in Apple Mail

On Mac: Select the email from the person you want to block. Go to the Mail menu at the top of your screen, hover over "Junk Mail," and click "Add Sender to Junk Mail List." The sender is now blocked. To unblock, select an email from that sender and go to Mail > Junk Mail > Remove Sender from Junk Mail List.

On iPhone or iPad: Swipe left on the email from the sender. Tap the trash icon (or the three dots if trash doesn't appear). A menu shows options including "Report Junk" or "Block This Contact." Tap "Block This Contact" to block the sender. Their future emails go to your Junk folder. To unblock, go to Settings > Mail > Blocked, find the contact, and swipe left to unblock.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block an email address, all future emails from that sender go directly to your spam or junk folder. You won't receive notifications for their emails, and they won't appear in your inbox. The blocked sender has no way to know they're blocked—from their perspective, they're sending mail normally.

You can still view blocked emails if you check your spam or junk folder. This is useful if you need to review what they sent but don't want them cluttering your inbox. However, most email services automatically delete spam after 30 days, so very old blocked emails may disappear.

If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them using the same settings where you manage blocked senders. The process is quick and reverses the block when ready.

When blocking doesn't work

If you block someone and still see emails from them, the sender is likely using a different email address. Block each new address as it appears. Some senders create multiple accounts specifically to get around blocks, so you may need to block several addresses over time.

Another possibility is email spoofing—the sender is faking their email address to make it look like it's coming from someone else. In this case, blocking won't help because the "from" address changes with each email. If this happens, contact your email provider's support team. They can investigate whether the emails are actually spoofed and may be able to block them at the server level.

If the emails are harassing or threatening, don't just block—report them as spam or junk first. This helps your email provider identify patterns and protect other users. You can also forward the emails to your email provider's abuse team (Gmail: abuse@gmail.com, Outlook: abuse@microsoft.com, Apple: reportphishing@apple.com).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. When you block someone, their emails straightforward go to spam or junk. They see no error message, no notification, and no indication that you blocked them. From their perspective, the email was sent successfully.

What if I block someone by mistake?

You can unblock them anytime. In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses and click "Unblock." In Outlook, open Junk settings, click "Blocked Senders," find the address, and click "Remove." In Apple Mail, go to Settings > Mail > Blocked and swipe left to unblock. Once unblocked, their emails go back to your inbox normally.

If I block someone, do they see my emails if they try to reply?

No. Blocking is one-way—it stops their emails from reaching you, but it doesn't prevent you from sending them emails. However, if they reply to an old email from you, that reply will go to your spam folder and you won't see it unless you check there.

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

Gmail and Outlook don't have a built-in feature to block entire domains through the block menu. However, you can create a filter or rule that automatically sends emails from a domain to spam. In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter and enter the domain (like @example.com) in the "From" field. In Outlook, create a rule by going to Settings > Mail > Rules and set it to move emails from that domain to Junk.

Do blocked emails take up storage space in my account?

Blocked emails that go to your spam or junk folder do count toward your storage limit, just like any other email. If you want to free up space, you can permanently delete them by emptying your spam or junk folder. Most email services automatically delete spam after 30 days anyway.