Block an Email Address in the Mail App

Open the Mail app and find an email from the sender you want to block. Swipe left on the email (or tap and hold it), then tap the trash icon to delete it. After you delete an email from that sender, Mail will ask if you want to block future emails from them. Tap Block This Contact when the prompt appears.

If you do not see the block prompt after deleting, you can block the sender another way. Open the email, tap the sender's name or email address at the top, then tap Block This Contact from the menu that appears. Once blocked, emails from that address go straight to trash and you will not receive notifications.

Blocked senders stay blocked until you unblock them. To see your blocked list, open Settings, scroll to Mail, tap Blocked, and review the addresses you have blocked. Tap Edit in the top right, then tap the red minus sign next to any address to unblock it.

Key Takeaways

  • Delete an email from the sender, then tap Block This Contact when Mail prompts you, or open the email and tap the sender's name to find the block option.
  • Blocked emails go to your trash folder automatically, and you will not see notifications from that sender.
  • You can view all blocked senders in Settings > Mail > Blocked and unblock any address by tapping Edit and the red minus sign.
  • Blocking works only in the Mail app; if you use Gmail, Outlook, or another email service on iPhone, you may need to block senders within that app instead.

Block Senders in Gmail, Outlook, and Other Email Apps

If you use Gmail through the Gmail app on iPhone, open the email from the sender you want to block. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right, then tap Block "[sender name]". Gmail will move the email to spam and future messages from that address will go there automatically.

In Outlook on iPhone, open the email and tap the three-dot menu, then select Block Sender. Outlook moves blocked emails to your junk folder. To unblock a sender in Outlook, go to Settings within the app, find Blocked Senders, and remove the address from the list.

Other email services like Yahoo Mail and ProtonMail have their own block features. Open the email, look for a menu icon (usually three dots or lines), and search for a block or spam option. The exact steps vary by app, so check the app's help section if you cannot find the block button.

Unblock a Sender You Previously Blocked

In the Mail app, go to Settings on your iPhone, tap Mail, then tap Blocked. You will see a list of all addresses you have blocked. Tap Edit in the top right corner, then tap the red minus sign next to the sender's address. Tap Unblock to confirm.

Once you unblock a sender, their emails will no longer go to trash automatically. They will arrive in your inbox like any other email, though you can block them again at any time using the same steps.

What Happens When You Block an Email Address

When you block a sender in Mail, their emails go straight to the trash folder. You will not see them in your inbox, and you will not receive notifications when they send you a message. The blocked sender does not know they have been blocked — they will not receive a notification or bounce-back message.

Blocked emails stay in your trash folder for 30 days before Mail deletes them permanently. If you need to see what a blocked sender wrote before you permanently delete it, you can check your trash folder within that 30-day window. After 30 days, those emails are gone for good.

Block Emails from Groups or Mailing Lists

If you receive emails from a group address or mailing list, blocking works the same way. Open an email from the group, tap the sender's address, and select Block This Contact. Future emails from that group address will go to trash.

Keep in mind that blocking a group address only stops emails sent from that specific address. If the group sends emails from multiple addresses or if members email you individually, you may need to block those addresses separately. Check the sender's address carefully before blocking to make sure you are blocking the right one.

Block Emails Without Deleting Them First

You do not have to delete an email to block the sender. Open the email, tap the sender's name or email address at the top of the message, and look for the Block This Contact option in the menu. This method blocks the sender without moving the current email to trash, so you can keep it if you need it for reference.

This approach is useful if you want to save an email for records or evidence but do not want to receive future messages from that sender. The email stays in your inbox or folder, but new emails from that address will go to trash automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block an email address without opening an email from them?

Not directly in the Mail app. You need to open at least one email from that sender to access the block option. If you have never received an email from someone, you cannot block them in advance. However, you can mark emails from unknown senders as spam or junk, which filters similar messages.

Will a blocked sender know I blocked them?

No. When you block someone, they receive no notification. Their emails straightforward go to your trash folder, and they have no way to know whether you blocked them, deleted their emails, or straightforward did not respond.

Can I block emails by subject line or keyword instead of by sender?

The Mail app does not have a built-in keyword filter, but you can create rules using VIP or flagging features. For more advanced filtering, consider using the email service's web version (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) where you can set up filters based on subject lines or keywords. Those rules often sync back to your iPhone.

What if I block someone by mistake?

Go to Settings > Mail > Blocked, tap Edit, and tap the red minus sign next to the sender's address. Tap Unblock to restore them. Their future emails will arrive in your inbox again, and you can block them once more if needed.

Do blocked emails take up storage space on my iPhone?

Yes. Blocked emails stay in your trash folder for 30 days and count toward your iPhone's storage. If you want to free up space faster, open the Mail app, go to Trash, swipe left on emails from blocked senders, and tap Delete to remove them when ready instead of waiting 30 days.