The fastest way to block an email address depends on which platform you use

Blocking an email address stops messages from that sender from reaching your inbox — they either go to spam automatically or disappear entirely, depending on your email provider. The steps differ between Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Apple Mail, but all of them take less than a minute once you find the message.

The method is almost always the same: open a message from the sender you want to block, look for a menu or three-dot icon, and select an option that says "Block" or "Block this sender". Some platforms let you block directly from your contacts list instead. After you block someone, their future emails won't clutter your inbox, though they may still be able to see that their messages were sent — they just won't know whether you read them.

Key Takeaways

  • In Gmail, open any email from the sender, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender name]" to send their future messages to spam automatically.
  • In Outlook, right-click the sender's name in the message header and choose "Block" from the menu, or use the Junk menu at the top of the inbox.
  • In Yahoo Mail, click the three-dot menu on the message and select "Block sender" to move their emails to spam.
  • In Apple Mail on Mac, select the message and go to Mail menu > Junk Mail > Block Sender; on iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the message and tap the flag icon, then choose Block Sender.
  • Once blocked, you can usually unblock the sender later from your settings if you change your mind.

Blocking an email address in Gmail

Open any email from the person you want to block. Look at the top right of the message — you'll see a three-dot menu icon. Click it and select "Block [sender's name]". Gmail will ask you to confirm; click "Block" again. From that moment on, all emails from that address go straight to your Spam folder automatically.

If you want to block someone but don't have an email from them yet, you can also block them through your Contacts. Open Contacts, find the person's name, click the three-dot menu next to their entry, and select "Block on Gmail". The result is the same — their future emails land in Spam.

To unblock someone in Gmail later, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right of your inbox), click "See all settings", go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find the blocked address in the list, and click "Unblock" next to it.

Blocking an email address in Outlook

Open the message from the sender you want to block. At the top of the message, you'll see the sender's name and email address. Right-click directly on the sender's name or email, and a menu will appear. Select "Block" or "Block Sender" from that menu. Outlook will move that sender's emails to your Junk folder from now on.

If right-clicking doesn't work on your version of Outlook, try this instead: open the message, then click the "Junk" button at the top of your inbox (it may say "Junk" or have a trash icon). A dropdown menu will appear with an option to "Block Sender". Click that option.

To unblock someone in Outlook, go to Settings (the gear icon), select "View all Outlook settings", go to Mail > Junk email, and look for the "Blocked senders" list. Find the address you want to unblock and click the minus sign or delete button next to it.

Blocking an email address in Yahoo Mail

Open any email from the person you want to block. Look for the three-dot menu icon (usually at the top right of the message or next to the sender's name). Click it and select "Block sender". Yahoo will confirm the block and move that sender's future emails to your Spam folder.

You can also block someone from your contact list. Go to Contacts, find the person's name, click the three-dot menu next to their entry, and select "Block". The effect is the same — their emails go to Spam automatically.

To unblock someone in Yahoo Mail, go to Settings (the gear icon), select "Privacy", find the "Blocked addresses" section, locate the address you want to unblock, and click "Remove".

Blocking an email address in Apple Mail

On a Mac, open any email from the sender you want to block. Go to the Mail menu at the very top of your screen, hover over "Junk Mail", and click "Block Sender". Apple Mail will move that sender's future emails to your Junk folder.

On an iPhone or iPad, open the email from the sender you want to block. Swipe left on the message (or tap and hold it). A menu of options will appear. Look for a flag icon or three-dot menu and tap it. Select "Block Sender" or "Block this Contact". From then on, their emails go to your Junk folder.

To unblock someone in Apple Mail on Mac, go to Mail menu > Preferences, click the Junk Mail tab, and look for a list of blocked senders. Find the address and click "Remove". On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Mail > Blocked Contacts and swipe left on the name you want to unblock, then tap "Unblock".

What happens after you block someone

Once you block an email address, that sender's messages won't appear in your inbox or other folders — they go straight to Spam or Junk. You won't get notifications when they send you an email. The sender doesn't receive a message telling them they've been blocked, but they may eventually notice their emails aren't getting replies.

Blocking is different from unsubscribing. Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list (like newsletters or promotional emails), while blocking stops all messages from a specific person or address. If you want to stop receiving marketing emails, look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the message instead.

If you block someone and then change your mind, you can unblock them at any time using the steps listed above for your email provider. Unblocking doesn't restore old messages that went to Spam — you'll need to check your Spam folder to find those.

Blocking email addresses on mobile apps

Most email apps on phones and tablets work the same way as their desktop versions, but the menu locations are slightly different. On Gmail's mobile app, open the message, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, and select "Block [sender name]". On Outlook's mobile app, tap and hold the sender's name and select "Block sender" from the menu that appears.

For Yahoo Mail on mobile, open the message, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Block sender". For Apple Mail on iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the message and tap the flag or menu icon, then choose "Block Sender". The blocking takes effect when ready on all your devices — if you block someone on your phone, they're blocked on your computer too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block an email address if I've already deleted the message?

Yes. In Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo, you can go to your Contacts list, find the person's name, and block them from there without needing an actual email from them. In Apple Mail, you'll need to find at least one message from them in your Spam or Trash folder to block them.

Will the person know I blocked them?

No. They won't receive a notification that you blocked them. However, if they're paying attention to whether you reply to their emails, they may eventually realize something is wrong. Their emails will still show as "sent" on their end — they just won't know you're not receiving them.

What's the difference between blocking and reporting spam?

Blocking stops that specific sender's emails from reaching you. Reporting spam tells your email provider that the message is unwanted and helps train their spam filters to catch similar messages in the future. Most email platforms let you do both at once — when you block someone, you often have the option to also mark them as spam.

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

Most email providers don't have a built-in option to block an entire domain at once. You'll need to block each individual email address separately. However, if you're receiving many emails from the same domain, you can create a filter or rule that automatically sends all messages from that domain to Spam — this option is usually in your Settings under Filters or Rules.

If I block someone, will they still be able to see my calendar or contact information?

Blocking only affects email messages. It doesn't prevent someone from viewing your public calendar, finding your contact information online, or seeing your profile if you use shared services like Google Meet or Microsoft Teams. If you need to prevent someone from accessing those services, you'll need to adjust privacy settings in each service separately.