The fastest way depends on which email service you use
Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have a block button built in — you do not need to read anything or change settings manually. Open the email from the person you want to block, click the three-dot menu (or similar icon), and select "Block" or "Block sender". The sender's future emails go straight to spam, and you will not see notifications for them.
The exact location of the block button varies slightly by service and device. On Gmail's web version, it is in the dropdown menu at the top right of the email. On Gmail's phone app, swipe left on the email thread and tap the block icon. On Outlook, right-click the sender's name and choose "Block". On Yahoo Mail, click the three dots and select "Block". These steps take about ten seconds.
If you use a smaller email provider or your company's email system, check your email provider's help page — most have a block or filter feature, though it may be called something different like "Blacklist" or "Reject sender".
Key Takeaways
- Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have a one-click block button in the email menu that sends future messages to spam automatically.
- Blocking stops new emails from that sender, but does not delete emails already in your inbox — you can delete those separately if you want.
- If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them by going to your blocked senders list in settings and removing the address.
- Blocking a sender is different from unsubscribing — blocking stops all mail from that address, while unsubscribing only removes you from mailing lists.
Where to find your blocked senders list
Once you block someone, you may want to check that the block worked or unblock them later. Each email service stores blocked senders in a different place. In Gmail, go to Settings, then Filters and Blocked Addresses, and you will see a list of every address you have blocked. In Outlook, go to Settings, then Mail, then Junk Email, and click Blocked Senders. In Yahoo Mail, go to Settings, then Security and Privacy, then Blocked Addresses. In Apple Mail on a Mac, go to Mail menu, then Preferences, then Junk Mail.
If you need to unblock someone, find their address in that list and click the remove or delete button next to their name. They will be able to email you again, and their messages will go to your inbox normally instead of spam.
What happens when you block someone
Blocking does three things: it sends that sender's future emails to your spam folder automatically, it stops you from receiving notifications about their messages, and it hides your read receipts and "last seen" status from them (on services that show those). The sender does not get a notification that you blocked them — they will just notice their emails are not getting replies.
Blocking does not delete emails that are already in your inbox. If you received ten emails from someone before blocking them, those ten emails stay where they are unless you manually delete them. You can delete them one by one, or select all of them at once and move them to trash. Some people prefer to keep old emails for a record even after blocking the sender.
Blocking is different from filtering or unsubscribing
A filter is a rule you create that automatically sorts emails based on the sender, subject line, or keywords. You might filter all emails from your boss into a folder, or filter promotional emails into a separate tab. Filters do not stop emails from arriving — they just organize them. Blocking, by contrast, sends emails straight to spam and stops notifications.
An unsubscribe link removes you from a mailing list, usually for newsletters or promotional emails. When you click unsubscribe, the sender's system removes your address from their list, so you stop receiving that particular newsletter. Blocking is stronger — it stops all emails from that sender, not just one mailing list. If someone sends you unwanted emails from multiple addresses, you may need to block each address separately.
When blocking does not work the way you expect
If you block someone and their emails still appear in your inbox, the sender may be using a different email address. Check the "From" line carefully — sometimes people send from a work address, a personal address, and a forwarding address. You will need to block each address separately. If you see emails from a similar-looking address (like john.smith@company.com versus johnsmith@company.com), block both.
Blocked emails may occasionally slip through if the sender uses an email forwarding service or if their email provider has a technical issue. This is rare, but if it happens, you can create a filter that automatically deletes emails from that sender, or you can report the email as spam to help your email provider's system learn to catch it. Most email services improve their spam detection over time based on what users report.
Blocking on mobile devices
Blocking works the same way on your phone as on a computer, but the steps are slightly different because of the smaller screen. On Gmail's mobile app, open the email, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, and select "Block [sender's name]". On Outlook's mobile app, swipe left on the email and tap the block icon. On Yahoo Mail's app, tap the three dots and choose "Block sender". On Apple Mail on iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the email thread and tap the trash icon, then tap "Block This Contact" if that option appears.
If you block someone on your phone, the block applies to your email account across all devices — you do not need to block them again on your computer. The blocked sender's list syncs automatically, so if you unblock someone on your phone, they are unblocked on your computer too.
Blocking emails from companies or services
If you are receiving unwanted emails from a company — a retailer, a bank, a social media platform — look for an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email before you block. Unsubscribing is usually faster and more effective, because it removes you from their system rather than just filtering their emails. Many companies send from multiple addresses, so blocking one address may not stop all their emails.
If a company continues sending emails after you unsubscribe, then block them. If you receive emails that look like they are from a company but you do not recognize the sender address, do not click links in the email — this is a common phishing tactic. Instead, go directly to the company's website and log in to your account to check your notification settings, or block the sender and report the email as spam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block someone without opening their email?
Yes. In Gmail, hover over the email in your inbox and click the three-dot menu that appears on the right side of the email row. In Outlook, right-click the email and select "Block". In Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail, swipe or right-click the email and look for a block option. You do not have to open the email to block the sender.
What if I block someone by mistake?
Go to your blocked senders list in your email settings and find the address you blocked. Click the remove or unblock button next to their name. They will be able to email you again, and their messages will arrive in your inbox normally. This usually takes less than a minute.
Does the person I block know I blocked them?
No. They do not receive a notification. They may eventually notice that their emails are not getting replies, or they may try to contact you through another method, but the email service does not tell them you blocked them.
If I block someone, can they still see my profile or contact me on social media?
Email blocking only affects email. It does not block them on social media, messaging apps, or other platforms. If you want to block someone on social media or a messaging app, you need to use that platform's separate block feature.
Will blocked emails be deleted from my inbox?
No. Blocking only affects new emails from that sender. Emails already in your inbox stay there unless you manually delete them. You can select all emails from that sender and delete them at once if you want to clean up your inbox.