The fastest way depends on your email service

Most email services let you block a sender in one or two clicks, but the exact steps change depending on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or another provider. The blocked person can still send you messages — they just won't land in your inbox, and you won't get notifications. Some services move blocked mail to a separate folder; others delete it outright. If you need the messages gone completely and permanently, you may need to delete them first, then block the address.

Blocking works best when you know the exact email address causing the problem. If someone is using multiple addresses or a spoofed address (one that looks like it came from someone else), a single block won't stop all of them. For that situation, you may need to set up a filter or rule instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail all have a block button in the message itself — open the email, click the three-dot menu, and select block or report spam.
  • Blocking prevents future messages from that address from reaching your inbox, but the sender won't be notified that you blocked them.
  • If someone is using multiple addresses, blocking one address won't stop the others — you may need to create a filter rule instead.
  • Deleted messages stay deleted even after you block an address, so delete unwanted mail before blocking if you want it completely gone.

How to block in Gmail

Open any email from the person you want to block. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the message. Select Block [sender's name] from the dropdown. Gmail will ask you to confirm — click Block again.

Once blocked, that person's future emails go straight to your Spam folder. You won't see them in your inbox or get notifications about them. If you change your mind, you can unblock the address by going to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses, finding the name, and clicking Unblock.

How to block in Outlook (web and desktop)

In Outlook on the web, open the message from the person you want to block. Click the three dots at the top right of the message. Select Block. Outlook will move that sender's current and future messages to your Junk folder.

In Outlook desktop (the Windows or Mac process), right-click the message and select Junk > Block Sender. The blocked sender's messages will go to your Junk folder from that point forward. To unblock, go to Home > Junk > Junk Email Options, click the Blocked Senders tab, find the address, and click Remove.

How to block in Yahoo Mail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (More) button at the top of the message. Select Block sender. Yahoo will confirm the block and move that sender's messages to your Spam folder going forward.

To unblock, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Blocked addresses, find the sender, and click the X next to their name.

When blocking isn't enough: using filters and rules

If someone is sending you mail from multiple addresses, or if the address keeps changing, blocking one sender at a time won't solve the problem. Instead, create a filter rule that catches emails based on content rather than just the sender's address.

In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter. Type a word or phrase that appears in all their messages (like a company name or a phrase they always use) in the "From" or "Subject" field. Click Create filter, then choose Skip the Inbox or Delete it. In Outlook, go to Home > Rules > Junk Email > Junk Email Options and add rules based on sender name or subject line. In Yahoo, use Settings > Filters to create a rule that automatically sorts or deletes matching messages.

What happens after you block someone

The blocked person can still send you emails, but they won't know you blocked them — they won't receive a bounce-back message or any notification. Their messages straightforward won't appear in your inbox. Depending on your email service, they may go to Spam, Junk, or be deleted entirely.

If you need to see what they sent (for legal or safety reasons), you can usually find blocked messages in your Spam or Junk folder. They stay there until you manually delete them or until your email service automatically purges old spam — Gmail keeps spam for 30 days, Outlook for 30 days, and Yahoo for the same.

Blocking vs. reporting spam or harassment

Blocking and reporting are different actions. Blocking stops someone's mail from reaching you. Reporting tells your email service that the messages are unwanted, which helps them identify spam patterns and protect other users. Most email services let you do both at once — when you block a sender, you often see an option to also report them as spam or abuse.

If the messages contain threats, harassment, or illegal content, report them to your email service and consider reporting to law enforcement as well. Blocking alone won't create a record that the harassment happened; reporting does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. They won't receive a notification, bounce-back message, or any indication that you blocked them. Their emails straightforward won't reach your inbox, and they may assume you're not responding or didn't see the message.

What if I block someone by mistake?

You can unblock them at any time. In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses and click Unblock next to their name. In Outlook, go to Junk > Junk Email Options > Blocked Senders and click Remove. In Yahoo, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Blocked addresses and click the X.

Will blocking delete messages they already sent me?

No. Blocking only affects future messages. Messages already in your inbox stay there. If you want them gone, delete them first, then block the sender. Messages in your Spam or Junk folder will be deleted automatically after 30 days by most services.

Can I block someone if I don't know their exact email address?

Not with a straightforward block. If you only know part of their address or they're using a spoofed address, create a filter rule instead. Use a word or phrase from their messages to catch all variations of their emails.

What if someone keeps emailing me from new addresses after I block them?

Create a filter rule based on content (subject line, company name, or a phrase they always use) rather than blocking individual addresses. This catches all their messages regardless of which address they send from. If the harassment continues, report it to your email service and consider contacting law enforcement.