Where to find the block button in your email provider
The block feature lives in different places depending on which email service you use. In Gmail, open the message from the sender you want to block, click the three dots in the top right, and select "Block [sender name]." In Outlook, right-click the message and choose "Block" or go to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders. In Apple Mail, select the message and go to Mail > Junk Mail > Block Contact. Yahoo Mail has a similar three-dot menu with a "Block" option.
If you use a work email through Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or another corporate system, the block feature is usually in the same place as consumer Gmail or Outlook, but your IT department may have restrictions on blocking certain addresses. Check with them first if you work for a large organization.
Phone apps work the same way. In Gmail's mobile app, swipe left on the message (iPhone) or long-press it (Android), then tap the block icon. Outlook mobile has a trash icon with a menu option to block. The steps are shorter on mobile because there is less screen space, but the result is identical.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking an email address sends future messages from that sender directly to your spam or junk folder automatically.
- Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and Yahoo Mail all have block buttons in the message menu or settings, though the exact location differs by service.
- Blocking does not delete messages already in your inbox — you have to delete those yourself if you want them gone.
- If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them in your settings, usually under Blocked Senders or a similar list.
- Blocking works only for that email address; if the sender uses a different address, those messages will not be blocked automatically.
What happens when you block an email address
When you block someone, their future emails go straight to your spam or junk folder instead of your inbox. You will not see a notification, and the sender will not know they have been blocked — they will not receive a bounce-back message. From their perspective, the email went through normally. The block is silent on both ends.
Messages that arrived before you blocked the address stay in your inbox unless you delete them. Blocking does not retroactively remove old emails from that sender. If you want those gone, you need to find them and delete them yourself, or use your email's search function to find all messages from that address and delete them in bulk.
If the blocked sender replies to an old email thread, that reply will also go to spam. The block applies to any future message from that address, whether it is a new email or a reply to something old.
Unblocking an email address if you change your mind
In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses. You will see a list of every address you have blocked. Click "Unblock" next to the one you want to restore. In Outlook, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders, find the address, and click the X to remove it. In Apple Mail, go to Mail > Preferences > Junk Mail and look for a list of blocked senders (the exact location varies by macOS version).
Once you unblock an address, emails from that sender will return to your inbox normally. Any messages that went to spam while the address was blocked will stay in your spam folder — unblocking does not move them back to your inbox automatically.
When blocking does not work the way you expect
Blocking stops emails from one specific address. If someone sends you mail from multiple addresses — a work email and a personal email, for example — you have to block each one separately. Blocking john.smith@company.com does not block john.smith@gmail.com. If you are getting unwanted mail from multiple addresses, you may need to block several before the problem stops.
Blocking also does not stop someone from seeing your replies if you have already been emailing back and forth. If you block someone mid-conversation, they can still see the messages you sent before the block. Blocking only affects new incoming mail, not the history.
Some email services let you block entire domains instead of individual addresses. In Gmail, you can create a filter that sends all mail from @example.com to spam. This is useful if you are getting spam from many addresses at the same domain, but it requires going into Filters rather than using the straightforward block button.
Alternatives to blocking when you want different results
If you want to keep seeing emails from someone but organize them automatically, use a filter or rule instead of blocking. Filters let you send messages to a specific folder, mark them as read, or add a label without blocking the sender. In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter. In Outlook, go to Settings > Mail > Rules > Add rule. This way you can still read the emails if you need to, but they do not clutter your main inbox.
If you want to stop notifications from a sender without blocking them, you can mute the conversation. In Gmail, open the message and click the mute icon (looks like a speaker with a line through it). Muted conversations still arrive in your inbox, but you will not get notifications about them. This is useful for group emails or newsletters you want to keep but do not need alerts for.
If the sender is sending you spam or scams, you can report the message as spam or phishing in addition to blocking. In Gmail, click the three dots and select "Report phishing" or "Report spam." This helps train the email service's spam filter and protects other users. Reporting and blocking are not the same — reporting teaches the system, while blocking just hides it from you.
Blocking senders on mobile devices
Mobile email apps have the same blocking feature as desktop, but the menu is usually hidden behind an icon. In Gmail for iPhone, swipe left on the message to reveal options, then tap the three dots and select "Block." In Gmail for Android, long-press the message, tap the three dots, and choose "Block sender." In Outlook mobile, swipe left (iPhone) or long-press (Android) the message, then tap the trash or menu icon to find the block option.
The block syncs across all your devices. If you block someone on your phone, that address will be blocked when you check email on your computer, and vice versa. You do not have to block the same person twice.
Managing your blocked senders list over time
Most email services let you see and edit your full blocked list in settings. Check it occasionally if you block a lot of people, because the list can grow long and you might forget who you blocked. If you accidentally blocked a legitimate sender — a vendor, a service, or someone you know — you can unblock them quickly from this list without having to search for their email.
Some services limit how many addresses you can block. Gmail does not have a published limit, but Outlook and other services may cap the list at a few hundred addresses. If you are blocking dozens of senders, a filter or rule might be more efficient than blocking each one individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person I block know that I blocked them?
No. They will not receive a notification, and their email will not bounce back to them. From their perspective, the message was sent successfully. The block is invisible to the sender.
Can I block an email address if I have never received a message from them?
Most email services do not let you block an address proactively — you usually need to have received at least one message from that sender first. If you want to prevent mail from a specific address before they contact you, create a filter instead that automatically sends their messages to spam.
What if someone keeps emailing me from different addresses after I block them?
Block each new address as it arrives. If the harassment continues, report the messages as spam or phishing to help your email service identify the pattern. Some services can detect when one person is using multiple addresses to evade a block and may take action on their own.
Does blocking someone on email also block them on other platforms?
No. Blocking an email address only affects that email service. If you want to block someone on social media, messaging apps, or other platforms, you have to block them separately on each one.
Can I block all emails from a company or domain?
Yes, but it requires creating a filter rather than using the straightforward block button. In Gmail, create a filter for emails from @companyname.com and send them to spam. In Outlook, create a rule with the same result. This blocks every address from that domain at once, which is faster than blocking individual addresses one by one.