The fastest way to block an email sender depends on which email service you use
Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all let you block a sender in one or two clicks from the email itself — you do not need to dig into settings. The blocked sender's messages go to spam automatically, and you will not see notifications when they arrive. If you change your mind, you can unblock them the same way.
The exact steps differ slightly between services because each one puts the block button in a different place. Once you know where to look in your email, blocking takes about 10 seconds.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail's block option is in the three-dot menu at the top right of an open email; Outlook uses a trash-can icon; Apple Mail uses the mail menu at the top of the screen.
- Blocked senders' emails land in your spam folder automatically, and you stop receiving notifications from them.
- Blocking a sender does not delete their past emails — those stay in your mailbox unless you delete them yourself.
- You can unblock a sender at any time by finding one of their emails in spam and reversing the block.
- Blocking works on the device where you do it; if you use email on multiple devices, you may need to block the same sender on each one.
How to block someone in Gmail
Open any email from the sender you want to block. At the top right of the email, you will see three vertical dots (sometimes called a menu button). Click that button and select Block [sender's name] from the dropdown menu.
Gmail will move that sender's future emails to spam and turn off notifications from them. If you ever want to unblock them, go to your spam folder, open one of their emails, click the three-dot menu again, and select Unblock [sender's name].
How to block someone in Outlook (web and desktop)
In Outlook on the web, open the email from the sender you want to block. At the top of the email, look for a trash-can icon with a small arrow next to it. Click that arrow and select Block from the menu.
In Outlook on your computer (Windows or Mac), open the email and go to the Home tab at the top. Click Junk, then select Block Sender. Outlook will send their future emails to your junk folder and silence notifications from them. To unblock, find one of their emails in junk, click Junk again, and select Never Block Sender.
How to block someone in Apple Mail
Open the email from the sender you want to block. At the top of your screen, click the Mail menu, then select Block Sender. Apple Mail will move their future emails to the trash and turn off notifications.
To unblock them, go to Mail menu again, select Preferences, click the Junk Mail tab, and look for the sender's address in the list. Select it and click the minus button to remove them from the blocked list.
What happens to emails after you block someone
Blocking a sender does not delete their old emails — those remain in your mailbox unless you delete them yourself. Only new emails from that sender go to spam or junk automatically. If you want to remove their past messages, you can search for their email address, select all their emails, and delete them.
If the blocked sender creates a new email address and contacts you from that address, the new address will not be blocked. You would need to block the new address separately. This is why blocking works best for one-time unwanted emails rather than persistent harassment.
When blocking is not enough
If someone is sending you many emails from different addresses, or if the emails contain threats or illegal content, blocking individual senders becomes impractical. In those cases, you may want to report the emails to your email provider instead of just blocking them.
In Gmail, open the email and click the three-dot menu, then select Report phishing or Report spam depending on what the email is. In Outlook, click Junk and select Phishing or Junk. In Apple Mail, select the email and click Mail, then Report Junk Mail. Reporting helps your email provider identify patterns and protect other users.
Blocking on multiple devices
If you check your email on a phone, tablet, and computer, blocking a sender on one device does not automatically block them on the others. You will need to block them separately on each device where you use email.
The steps are the same on mobile — open the email, find the block option (usually a menu button or settings icon), and select block. After you block someone on all your devices, they will be blocked everywhere you check email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a blocked sender tell that I blocked them?
No. A blocked sender will not receive any notification that you blocked them. Their emails straightforward go to spam or junk, and they will not see a delivery failure message. From their perspective, the email was sent normally.
What if I block someone by mistake?
You can unblock them when ready. Find one of their emails in your spam or junk folder, open it, and use the same menu where you found the block option to unblock them. After you unblock, their future emails will arrive in your inbox normally again.
Does blocking stop someone from seeing my emails?
No. Blocking only stops you from receiving their emails — it does not prevent them from reading emails you have already sent them or from seeing your replies if they are part of a group conversation. If you need to prevent someone from contacting you entirely, you may need to change your email address or use additional privacy settings.
Will blocking stop spam and marketing emails?
Blocking works for individual senders, so it will stop emails from one specific address. However, spam often comes from many different addresses. For marketing emails you signed up for, look for an Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email instead — that removes you from the mailing list entirely. For unsolicited spam, blocking individual addresses is less effective than marking emails as spam, which trains your email provider's filter.
Can I block an entire domain instead of just one person?
Gmail and Outlook do not have a built-in option to block all emails from a domain (like all addresses ending in @example.com). You can only block individual email addresses. If you are receiving many emails from the same domain, you can create a filter or rule that automatically sends emails from that domain to spam, but the steps vary by email service.