Block a sender in iCloud Mail on any device

To block an email address in iCloud Mail, open the message from the sender you want to block, click or tap the three dots (more options) in the top right corner, and select "Block This Contact." iCloud will move that sender's future emails to your Junk folder automatically. You can block senders from your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any web browser — the block applies across all your devices because it syncs through your iCloud account.

If you have already deleted the email, you can still block the sender. Go to your Junk folder, find an email from that address, and use the same three-dot menu to block them. The block takes effect when ready, though emails already in your inbox will stay there — blocking only stops new messages.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders' emails go to your Junk folder automatically, not to a separate blocked list you can view.
  • You can block a sender from the message itself using the three-dot menu, or from your Junk folder if you have already deleted the original email.
  • Blocks sync across all your devices through iCloud, so you only need to block once.
  • If a blocked sender uses a different email address, their new messages will not be blocked — you must block each address separately.
  • You can unblock a sender at any time by finding their email in Junk and selecting "Unblock This Contact" from the same menu.

Where blocked emails go

When you block a sender in iCloud Mail, their emails do not disappear — they land in your Junk folder instead. This means you can still see what they sent if you need to, but you will not get a notification and the message will not clutter your inbox. iCloud does not create a separate "blocked senders" list you can view; the Junk folder is where all blocked mail collects.

Check your Junk folder occasionally if you are blocking someone you might need to hear from later (a vendor, a service provider, or someone whose address you were not sure about). If you change your mind, you can unblock them and their future emails will return to your inbox.

Block senders on iPhone or iPad

Open the Mail app and find the email from the sender you want to block. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the message — on some older iOS versions this may be labeled "More." A menu will appear with several options; select "Block This Contact." The sender is now blocked, and their future emails will go to Junk.

If you want to block someone whose email you have already deleted, open the Mail app, go to the Junk folder (usually at the bottom of your folder list), find an email from that sender, and tap the three dots to block them. The process is the same whether the email is in your inbox or Junk.

Block senders on Mac

In the Mail app on your Mac, select the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three dots (or gear icon, depending on your macOS version) in the top right corner of the message preview. Select "Block This Contact" from the dropdown menu. The sender is now blocked across your Mac and all other devices signed into that iCloud account.

You can also right-click directly on the sender's email address within a message and choose "Block Contact" from the context menu. Either method works; use whichever feels faster to you.

Block senders in iCloud Mail on the web

Log into iCloud.com, open Mail, and click on the email from the sender you want to block. Look for the three dots in the toolbar at the top of the message (next to the archive and delete buttons). Click the three dots and select "Block This Contact." The block takes effect when ready and syncs to your phone and other devices.

If you are looking at your inbox list rather than an open message, you can also right-click on the sender's name or email address and select "Block Contact" from the menu that appears. This is faster if you want to block multiple senders in a row.

What happens when you block someone

Blocking a sender in iCloud Mail only affects incoming email — it does not send them a notification, change your password, or prevent them from seeing your iCloud account. They will not know they are blocked. If they send you an email, it will silently go to your Junk folder, and you will not receive a notification about it.

The blocked sender can still see your iCloud email address and send messages to it. The block is one-way: it stops you from seeing their mail, but does not prevent them from sending it. If someone is harassing you through email, blocking is a first step, but you may also want to report the messages as spam or junk before deleting them, which helps train iCloud's filters.

Unblock a sender if you change your mind

To unblock someone, find one of their emails in your Junk folder, click or tap the three dots, and select "Unblock This Contact." Their future emails will return to your inbox and you will receive notifications about them again. You can unblock a sender at any time — there is no waiting period or confirmation step.

If you cannot find an email from the person you want to unblock, you may need to ask them to send you a message first, or check your Junk folder to make sure it is not empty. Once you have one of their emails, the unblock option will appear in the three-dot menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the blocked sender know I blocked them?

No. Blocking in iCloud Mail is silent — the sender will not receive a notification or bounce-back message. Their emails straightforward go to your Junk folder without alerting them. They can continue sending messages, but you will not see them unless you unblock them later.

Can I block an email address that keeps changing?

You can only block one email address at a time. If someone is sending you messages from multiple addresses, you will need to block each one separately. If the harassment is severe or ongoing, consider reporting the messages as spam before deleting them, which helps iCloud's filters learn to catch similar messages automatically.

Do blocked emails stay in Junk forever?

iCloud automatically deletes emails in your Junk folder after 30 days. If you need to keep a record of a blocked sender's messages, move them to a different folder before the 30 days are up. Otherwise, they will be permanently deleted.

If I block someone, will they see my out-of-office message?

No. When you block a sender, their emails go directly to Junk and do not trigger your out-of-office reply. Out-of-office messages only go to senders whose emails reach your inbox normally.

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

iCloud Mail does not have a built-in feature 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 unwanted emails from the same domain, block each address separately or use mail rules to filter them automatically.