How to block an email address depends on which service you use

The steps to block an email differ between Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other providers because each one stores the block list in a different place. Gmail lets you block from the email itself or from settings. Outlook uses a separate junk senders list. Yahoo has a block list in account settings. The result is the same — messages from that address go to spam or disappear entirely — but the path to get there changes by service.

Most email services block an address in under a minute once you know where to look. You do not need to contact your provider or wait for anything to process. The block takes effect when ready on new messages, though old emails from that sender usually stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself.

Key Takeaways

  • In Gmail, open an email from the sender, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender]" — the block appears in settings under Filters and Blocked Addresses.
  • In Outlook, right-click the email and choose "Junk" then "Block Sender," or go to Settings > Mail > Junk Email to manage your blocked list.
  • In Yahoo Mail, click the three-dot menu on the email and select "Block," or add addresses manually in Account Info > Security and Privacy > Blocked Addresses.
  • Blocked emails typically go to your spam or junk folder rather than disappearing, so you can still retrieve them if you need to.
  • Blocking an address does not stop emails from that sender if they use a different email address, so you may need to block multiple addresses from the same person.

Blocking an email in Gmail

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the email. Select "Block [sender name]" from the dropdown. Gmail will move that email to spam and send all future messages from that address to your spam folder automatically.

If you want to see your blocked addresses or unblock someone later, go to Gmail Settings (the gear icon in the top right), select "See all settings," then click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Your blocked senders appear in a list at the bottom. Click "Unblock" next to any address to remove it from the block list.

Gmail also lets you block an address without opening an email from them. In Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses, scroll to the bottom and type the email address you want to block, then click "Create filter." Choose "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox (Archive it)" to handle future messages from that sender.

Blocking an email in Outlook

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Right-click the sender's name or email address. Select "Junk" then "Block Sender." Outlook will move that email to your Junk folder and route all future messages from that address there as well.

To manage your blocked senders list in Outlook, click the Settings gear icon in the top right, then select "View all Outlook settings." Go to Mail > Junk Email. Under "Safe Senders, Safe Recipients, and Blocked Senders," click "Blocked Senders." You can add new addresses here or remove ones you no longer want to block.

If you use Outlook on a desktop computer, the process is slightly different. Open the email, go to the Home tab, click "Junk," and select "Block Sender." To view your blocked list, go to File > Options > Mail > Junk Email, then click the "Blocked Senders" tab.

Blocking an email in Yahoo Mail

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon. Select "Block" from the options. Yahoo will send future emails from that address to your spam folder.

To manage your blocked addresses in Yahoo, click your account icon in the top right, then select "Account Info." Go to Security and Privacy > Blocked Addresses. You can see all blocked senders here and add new ones by typing the email address and clicking "Block." Click the X next to any address to unblock it.

What happens when you block an email address

When you block an address, new emails from that sender go to your spam or junk folder instead of your inbox. Most email services do not delete the emails — they just move them out of sight. You can still find them in your spam folder if you need to retrieve one later.

Blocking is not the same as unsubscribing. If you receive marketing emails and want to stop them, look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email first. That tells the sender to remove you from their mailing list. Blocking works better for unwanted personal emails or harassment, because it stops all messages from that address regardless of whether they include an unsubscribe option.

When blocking does not work

If you keep receiving emails from someone after blocking them, they may be using a different email address each time. Spammers and harassers sometimes create new addresses to get around blocks. In that case, you will need to block each new address as it appears.

If the emails are coming from your own domain — for example, if someone at your company is sending them — blocking may not work the way you expect. Talk to your IT department or email administrator, because they may have tools to handle internal harassment that your personal block list cannot.

Some email services also let you create rules that automatically delete emails matching certain words or patterns. If blocking is not enough, check your email provider's settings for filter or rule options.

Unblocking an email address

You can unblock an address at any time using the same settings where you view your blocked list. In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses and click "Unblock" next to the address. In Outlook, go to Settings > Mail > Junk Email > Blocked Senders and remove the address from the list. In Yahoo, go to Account Info > Security and Privacy > Blocked Addresses and click the X next to the address.

Unblocking an address does not retrieve old emails that were sent to spam. Those emails stay in your spam folder. Unblocking only means that new emails from that sender will go to your inbox again instead of spam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

No. When you block an address, the sender does not receive a notification. Their emails straightforward go to your spam folder, and they have no way to know whether you blocked them, marked them as spam, or stopped reading their messages. They may notice you are not responding, but the email service does not tell them you blocked them.

What is the difference between blocking and marking as spam?

Blocking prevents all future emails from that address from reaching your inbox. Marking a single email as spam tells your email service that one message is unwanted, which helps train the spam filter but does not stop future emails from that sender. Blocking is permanent until you unblock; marking as spam is a one-time action.

If I block someone, can they still see my emails?

Blocking only affects emails coming to you. If you block someone, they can still send you emails — those emails just go to your spam folder. Blocking does not prevent them from receiving emails you send to them. If you want to prevent someone from contacting you entirely, you may need to use other tools like reporting harassment to your email provider.

Do I need to block an email address on my phone and computer separately?

No. When you block an address in Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo, the block applies across all devices because it is stored in your account settings, not on your device. If you block someone on your phone, they are blocked on your computer too. The block syncs automatically.

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

Most email services do not have a built-in option to block an entire domain at once. You will need to block individual addresses as they arrive. However, some services like Gmail let you create filters that automatically delete or skip emails from addresses matching a pattern — for example, all emails ending in @spammerdomain.com. Check your email provider's filter or rule settings for this option.