The fastest way to block an email sender

Open the email from the person you want to block. Look for a menu icon — three dots in Gmail, a downward arrow in Outlook, or "More" in Apple Mail. Select "Block" or "Block Sender" from that menu. The sender's future emails will go straight to spam, and you won't see notifications from them.

This works the same way across all major email services. Once blocked, emails from that address land in your spam folder automatically. You can unblock the person later if you change your mind — the setting isn't permanent.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking takes one click from any email the sender has already sent you — open their message, find the menu, and select block.
  • Blocked emails go to spam automatically; they don't disappear, so you can review them later if needed.
  • Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all have block features in slightly different places, but the result is identical.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to your spam folder or blocked senders list and reversing the block.
  • Blocking one email address does not block similar addresses — if someone uses firstname.lastname@domain.com and firstname_lastname@domain.com, you may need to block both.

Blocking in Gmail

Open any email from the sender. In the top right, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown appears with several options. Click "Block [sender's name]." Gmail will confirm the block and move that email to spam.

To see your blocked senders list, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Click "See all settings," then go to the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. You'll see every address you've blocked. Click the X next to any name to unblock them.

If you receive emails from a domain you want to block entirely — for example, all emails from @unwanteddomain.com — Gmail doesn't have a one-click option for that. Instead, create a filter: go to Settings, "Filters and Blocked Addresses," and click "Create a new filter." Type the domain in the "From" field, then select "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox" to send all mail from that domain to spam or trash.

Blocking in Outlook

Open the email from the person you want to block. At the top of the message, click the downward arrow next to the sender's name. Select "Block" from the menu. Outlook moves that sender's emails to your Junk folder from that point forward.

To manage your blocked senders in Outlook on the web, click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right. Go to "Mail" and then "Junk email." You'll see a list of blocked senders. To unblock someone, click the X next to their name.

In Outlook desktop (Windows or Mac), go to Home, then click "Junk" in the toolbar. Select "Junk Email Options." The "Blocked Senders" tab shows everyone you've blocked. Highlight a name and click "Remove" to unblock them.

Blocking in Apple Mail

Open an email from the sender. Click "More" in the toolbar (three dots on Mac, or swipe left on iPhone/iPad). Select "Block This Contact." Apple Mail will move future emails from that person to your trash automatically.

On iPhone or iPad, open the email, tap "More" (three dots), then tap "Block This Contact." The setting syncs across all your Apple devices if you use the same iCloud account.

To unblock someone in Apple Mail on Mac, go to Mail menu, then Preferences. Click "Junk Mail." At the bottom, click "Reset" to clear your blocked list, or manually remove addresses from the blocked senders list if your version shows one. On iPhone, go to Settings, Mail, and look for a Blocked Contacts section under your email account.

What happens after you block someone

Their emails don't disappear — they go to your spam or junk folder. You can still read them if you need to, but you won't get notifications. The sender won't know they're blocked; they'll see no error message when they email you, so they may assume you're just not responding.

If the sender creates a new email address and contacts you again, that new address won't be blocked automatically. You'll need to block each address separately. This is why blocking works best for one-off unwanted emails rather than determined harassment — if someone is harassing you across multiple addresses, consider reporting them to your email provider instead.

When blocking isn't enough

If someone is sending you threatening, abusive, or illegal content, blocking alone may not be the right step. Most email providers have a "Report" or "Report Spam" option alongside the block button. Use that to flag the emails to the provider's abuse team.

Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all take reports of harassment seriously. When you report an email, the provider investigates and may suspend the sender's account if the behavior violates their terms of service. If the harassment involves threats or criminal activity, you can also report it to local law enforcement.

Unblocking someone later

If you blocked someone by mistake or want to hear from them again, the process is reversible. In Gmail, go to Settings, "Filters and Blocked Addresses," and click the X next to their name. In Outlook, go to Junk Email Options and remove them from the Blocked Senders list. In Apple Mail on Mac, you may need to reset your junk mail settings or contact Apple Support, as the unblock option varies by version.

Once you unblock someone, their old emails stay in your spam folder — unblocking doesn't move them back to your inbox. You can move them manually if you want to keep them, or leave them in spam and just allow new emails from that sender to reach your inbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

No. They won't receive a notification, and their emails will appear to send normally from their end. They may notice you're not responding, but they won't see a bounce-back message or any indication that you've blocked them.

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

Gmail allows this through filters — create a filter with the domain in the "From" field and send it to spam. Outlook and Apple Mail don't have a built-in domain block, so you'd need to block individual addresses as they arrive, or use third-party email filtering tools.

What if someone keeps emailing me from different addresses?

Block each address as it arrives. If the harassment is ongoing and severe, report the emails to your provider's abuse team instead of just blocking. Providers can investigate patterns of harassment across multiple accounts and take action against the sender.

Do blocked emails take up storage space?

Yes, they sit in your spam or junk folder and count toward your storage limit. You can permanently delete them by emptying your spam folder, which frees up space.

Can I block someone on my phone but not my computer?

No. Blocking syncs across all devices that use the same email account. If you block someone in Gmail on your phone, they're blocked in Gmail on your computer too. The same applies to Outlook and Apple Mail.