The fastest way depends on your email provider

Most email providers let you block a sender in one or two clicks, and the blocked person's messages go straight to spam or a blocked folder instead of your inbox. 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. The exact steps differ slightly between providers, so the method that works for Gmail will not look the same in Outlook.

Blocking is not the same as unsubscribing. When you unsubscribe from a mailing list, you are telling a company you do not want their newsletters anymore. When you block a person, you are telling your email provider to treat all their messages as unwanted, whether they are personal emails or mass messages. A blocked sender cannot see that they are blocked — their email straightforward disappears from your inbox.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have a built-in block feature you can use from the email itself without visiting settings.
  • Blocking sends a person's future messages to spam or a blocked folder, but does not delete messages they already sent you.
  • If someone uses multiple email addresses, you may need to block each address separately because blocking works on a per-address basis.
  • Some email providers let you block by domain (for example, blocking everyone at a particular company), which is useful if you are getting unwanted mail from many people at the same organization.

How to block in Gmail

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

If you have already deleted the email, you can still block the sender. Go to your spam folder, find an email from that person, open it, and use the same three-dot menu to block them. You can also block someone by right-clicking their name in your contacts list and selecting "Block" — this is useful if you want to block someone before they send you anything.

How to block in Outlook (web and desktop)

In Outlook on the web, open an email from the person you want to block. Click the three-dot menu at the top of the email and select "Block." Outlook will move the email to your junk folder and filter future messages from that sender to junk as well.

In Outlook on your computer (the desktop app), right-click the email from the person you want to block and select "Junk" then "Block Sender." If you are using Outlook on a phone or tablet, open the email, tap the three-dot menu, and look for "Block" or "Mark as junk." The exact wording varies depending on your device and which version of Outlook you have installed.

How to block in Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail

In Yahoo Mail, open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon and select "Block." Yahoo will send future emails from that address to your spam folder. You can also block someone by hovering over their name in an email and clicking the block icon that appears.

In Apple Mail on a Mac, open the email and click "Mail" in the top menu bar, then select "Block Sender." On an iPhone or iPad, open the email, tap "Report Junk" at the bottom, and Apple will block that sender and move the email to trash. Apple Mail does not have a separate "block" button like other providers — blocking and reporting junk are the same action.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block an email address, all messages from that sender go to your spam or junk folder instead of your inbox. You will not see a notification that a blocked person has emailed you. The blocked sender does not receive a message saying they have been blocked — their email straightforward fails to reach your inbox, and they may assume it was never delivered or that you did not see it.

Blocking does not delete emails that person already sent you. If you want to remove their old messages, you will need to delete them manually or search for their address and delete the entire conversation. Some people prefer to keep old emails in case they need them later for reference or proof of something, so blocking leaves that choice to you.

When blocking is not enough

If someone is using multiple email addresses to contact you, you will need to block each address separately. Blocking works on a per-address basis, so blocking john@example.com does not block john.smith@example.com or any other variation. If you notice a pattern of harassment from multiple addresses, take screenshots of the emails and consider reporting the behavior to your email provider's abuse team — most providers have a way to report coordinated harassment or spam campaigns.

Some email providers let you block by domain, which means blocking everyone at a particular company or organization. In Gmail, you can do this by clicking the three-dot menu on an email and selecting "Block [domain name]" instead of just the individual sender. This is useful if you are getting unwanted messages from many people at the same workplace or organization, though it is a stronger action and you should be certain before using it.

Unblocking someone if you change your mind

Most email providers make it straightforward to unblock someone. In Gmail, go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses," find the person's address in the blocked list, and click "Unblock." In Outlook, go to Settings, select "Mail," then "Junk email," and remove the address from your blocked senders list. In Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail, the process is similar — look for a blocked senders or blocked contacts list in your settings and remove the address from it.

Unblocking does not restore old emails that were sent to spam while the person was blocked. Those messages stay in your spam folder. If you unblock someone and they send you a new email, it will arrive in your inbox normally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I have blocked them?

No. A blocked sender will not receive a notification or message saying they have been blocked. Their email will fail to reach your inbox, but they will not know why — it will look like a normal delivery failure from their perspective.

What if the person uses a different email address?

Blocking only works on the specific email address you block. If someone creates a new email account and sends you a message from that address, it will reach your inbox normally. You will need to block each address separately as they contact you.

Does blocking stop text messages or phone calls?

No. Email blocking only affects email. If you want to block someone's phone number or text messages, you will need to use your phone's built-in blocking feature, which is separate from your email settings. Check your phone's settings or contact your phone carrier for instructions.

Can I block someone without opening their email?

Yes, in most providers. You can right-click a sender's name in your inbox list (without opening the email) and select block or mark as spam. You can also block someone from your contacts list if they are already saved there.

Will blocking stop newsletters or marketing emails?

Blocking will stop all emails from that specific address, including newsletters and marketing mail. If you only want to stop newsletters, look for an "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email instead — this tells the sender to remove you from their mailing list without blocking the entire address.