The fastest way to block an email on iPhone
Open the email you want to block in the Mail app, tap the sender's name or email address at the top of the message, then tap Block This Contact. The sender's future emails will go straight to your trash folder, and you won't see notifications for them.
If you don't see a Block option, swipe left on the email in your inbox list and tap the three dots menu, then look for a block or report option there. The exact menu changes depending on your iPhone model and iOS version, but the result is the same — that sender's messages stop reaching your inbox.
Once you block someone, you can still see their old emails if you search for them, but new messages won't arrive as notifications. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them through Settings > Mail > VIP or by going to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts and removing their name from the list.
Key Takeaways
- Tap the sender's name at the top of an email and select Block This Contact to send their future messages to trash.
- Blocked emails still exist in your mailbox if you search for them, but you won't receive notifications when new ones arrive.
- You can unblock a contact anytime through Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts.
- Blocking works across all your Apple devices if you use the same iCloud account.
- Blocked senders can still send you email — it just won't show up in your inbox or trigger alerts.
Where blocked emails actually go
When you block an email address on iPhone, the messages don't disappear from your phone entirely. Instead, they land in your Trash folder automatically. This means if you ever need to read an old email from that sender, you can search your Trash and find it.
The key difference between blocking and deleting is that blocking is automatic and ongoing. Every new email from that address goes to Trash without you having to do anything. Deleting just removes one message at a time. If you delete an email but don't block the sender, their next message will still arrive in your inbox normally.
Some email providers (like Gmail or Outlook) also have their own blocking systems that work separately from iPhone's Mail app blocking. If you use Gmail through the Mail app, blocking in Mail doesn't necessarily block them in Gmail's web interface — you may need to block them in both places if you want complete blocking across all your devices.
Blocking versus reporting spam
iPhone's Mail app gives you two options when you tap the sender's name: Block This Contact and Report Junk. These do different things, and which one you choose matters.
Blocking stops the sender's emails from reaching your inbox. Reporting Junk does the same thing but also sends a copy of the email to Apple, which uses the reports to improve its spam filters for everyone. If you're sure an email is spam or a scam, reporting it helps protect other users. If it's a real person you just don't want to hear from, blocking alone is enough.
You can do both at once — report the email as junk and then block the contact. There's no downside to reporting, and it takes the same amount of time as blocking alone.
Blocking emails from a specific domain or company
If you're getting spam from multiple addresses at the same company (like noreply@companyname.com, support@companyname.com, and marketing@companyname.com), blocking each address individually gets tedious. Unfortunately, iPhone's Mail app doesn't have a built-in way to block an entire domain at once.
Your best option is to create a VIP list or use Mail's filtering rules if you access your email through a web browser or a third-party app. Gmail users can block all emails from a domain by opening one email from that sender, clicking the three dots menu, and selecting Block "@domain.com" — but this only works in Gmail's web interface, not in the Mail app.
If you use iCloud Mail, Outlook, or another provider, check their website or app settings for domain-level blocking options. The Mail app on iPhone is limited to blocking individual addresses, so you may need to use your email provider's own tools for broader blocking.
Unblocking a contact if you change your mind
To unblock someone, go to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts. You'll see a list of everyone you've blocked. Tap Edit in the top right corner, then tap the red minus sign next to the person's name and confirm. They're now unblocked, and their emails will start arriving in your inbox again.
Unblocking doesn't restore old emails they sent you while they were blocked — those stay in your Trash folder. But any new emails from them will behave like normal incoming mail, with notifications and everything.
If you blocked someone by accident, unblocking them takes about 10 seconds. There's no waiting period or confirmation email — the change happens when ready on your phone and syncs to your other Apple devices.
Blocking doesn't work the same way across all email apps
If you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or another email service through their own app instead of Apple's Mail app, blocking works differently. Each app has its own blocking system, and blocking in one app doesn't automatically block in another.
For example, if you block someone in the Gmail app, they're blocked in Gmail but not in Apple Mail if you also have Gmail set up there. You'd need to block them separately in each app. This is why some people get confused — they block an email in one place and still see messages from that sender in another app.
The safest approach is to block the sender in your email provider's own system (Gmail's website, Outlook's website, Yahoo's website) rather than just in the app. That way, the blocking works everywhere you access that email account, whether you're on iPhone, a computer, or another device.
What happens when a blocked person tries to email you
When you block someone, they don't receive a notification that you've blocked them. They can still send you emails — they just won't know whether the emails are reaching you or not. From their perspective, the email goes out normally. On your end, it silently lands in Trash.
This is different from blocking someone on text message or social media, where the sender sometimes gets a message saying they're blocked. Email blocking is silent. The sender has no way to know unless they try to contact you through another method and you tell them.
If a blocked sender tries to reach you through a different email address, that new address won't be blocked automatically. You'd have to block each address separately. This is why blocking is useful for spam but less effective against someone determined to contact you — they can just use a different email address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block an email without opening it?
Yes. In your inbox list, swipe left on the email and tap the three dots menu, then select the block option. You don't have to open the full email first. This is faster if you're going through a list of unwanted emails.
Does blocking on iPhone block them on my Mac or iPad too?
Yes, if you use the same iCloud account on all your devices. Blocked contacts sync across your Apple devices, so blocking someone on your iPhone automatically blocks them on your Mac and iPad. If you use different email accounts on different devices, blocking only applies to the device where you did it.
What if I block someone and then they email me from a different address?
The new address won't be blocked automatically. You'd have to block that address separately. Blocking is tied to specific email addresses, not to people, so someone determined to contact you can create a new email account and try again.
Can I block emails with certain words in the subject line?
Not directly in the Mail app. You can create rules or filters in some email providers (like Gmail or Outlook) that automatically delete or archive emails with certain keywords, but iPhone's Mail app doesn't have this feature built in. You'd need to use your email provider's website or a third-party app for keyword-based filtering.
If I block someone, can they see that I read their old emails?
No. Blocking doesn't change how old emails work. If you read an email from someone before blocking them, they won't know whether you read it or not — email doesn't send read receipts by default. Blocking only affects new emails going forward.