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

Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have a block feature built in, but the steps differ slightly. In Gmail, open the email from the person you want to block, click the three dots in the top right, and select "Block [sender]." In Outlook on the web, click the three dots, choose "Junk," then "Block." On Yahoo Mail, click the three dots and select "Block sender." Apple Mail on Mac requires you to select the email, go to Mail menu, then "Junk Mail," then "Add Sender to VIP or Block List." Each service sends future emails from that address straight to spam or a blocked folder automatically.

The block takes effect when ready, but it only stops new messages. Emails already in your inbox stay there unless you delete them. If someone uses a different email address, the block won't catch it — you'll need to block each address separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have built-in block features accessible from the email itself or the sender's menu.
  • Blocking stops new emails from reaching your inbox, but does not delete messages already there.
  • A block only works for the specific email address you select, so someone can still contact you from a different account.
  • Some email services let you unblock a sender later if you change your mind, usually in settings or the blocked senders list.

How to block in Gmail

Open any email from the sender you want to block. In the top right corner, you'll see three vertical dots (the menu icon). Click it and look for "Block [sender's name]" in the dropdown. Click that option, and Gmail will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, Gmail moves all future emails from that address to spam automatically.

If you want to see your blocked senders later, go to Gmail Settings (the gear icon in the top right), click "See all settings," then go to the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. You'll see a list of every address you've blocked and can unblock any of them by clicking the "unblock" link next to the name.

How to block in Outlook (web and desktop)

In Outlook on the web, open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots at the top of the email, then hover over "Junk" and select "Block." Outlook will move that email and all future ones from that sender to your Junk folder.

In Outlook on Windows or Mac, right-click the email and select "Junk," then "Block Sender." On Mac, you can also go to the Mail menu at the top, select "Junk Mail," then "Add Sender to VIP or Block List." To see your blocked senders in Outlook on the web, go to Settings, then "Mail," then "Junk email," and you'll find a "Blocked senders" section where you can manage your list.

How to block in Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail

In Yahoo Mail, open the email and click the three dots in the toolbar. Select "Block sender," and Yahoo will send future emails from that address to spam. To unblock someone, go to Settings, click "Security and privacy," then "Blocked addresses," and you'll see your full list.

In Apple Mail on Mac, select the email from the sender you want to block. Go to the Mail menu at the top of your screen, hover over "Junk Mail," and click "Add Sender to VIP or Block List." On iPhone or iPad, open the email, tap the sender's name at the top, then tap "Block this Contact." Future emails from that address will go to your VIP or Blocked folder depending on your settings.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block an address, that person's emails go directly to spam or a blocked folder. You won't see notifications for their messages, and they won't know they've been blocked — the email will appear to send normally on their end. Most services keep blocked emails in the spam or blocked folder for 30 days before deleting them, so you can recover them if you change your mind.

Blocking does not prevent someone from seeing your emails if they already have your address. It only stops their incoming messages to you. If someone is harassing you across multiple email addresses, you may need to block each one separately, or consider reporting the behavior to your email provider's abuse team.

When blocking isn't enough

If someone creates new email addresses to contact you after you block them, blocking each new address becomes tedious. Most email services let you create filters or rules that automatically send emails matching certain words or patterns to spam. In Gmail, you can create a filter by going to Settings, "Filters and Blocked Addresses," then "Create a new filter," and set it to automatically delete or skip the inbox for emails containing specific text.

If the contact is threatening, abusive, or part of a larger harassment campaign, report it to your email provider's abuse team. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Apple all have abuse reporting options in their help centers. They can investigate patterns of behavior and take action beyond what a single block can do.

Unblocking someone later

All major email services let you unblock a sender if you change your mind. In Gmail, go to Settings, "Filters and Blocked Addresses," find the address, and click "unblock." In Outlook on the web, go to Settings, "Mail," "Junk email," find the address in "Blocked senders," and click the delete icon. In Yahoo Mail, go to Settings, "Security and privacy," "Blocked addresses," and click the X next to the name. In Apple Mail, go to Mail preferences, find the Blocked tab, and select the address and click the minus button.

Once you unblock someone, their emails will start arriving in your inbox again instead of spam. You won't receive the emails they sent while you had them blocked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person I block know that I blocked them?

No. Their emails will appear to send normally on their end, and they won't receive any notification that you've blocked them. The only way they'd know is if they try to contact you through another method and you tell them.

Can I block someone if I've already deleted their email?

Yes. Most services let you block an address even if you don't have an email from them open. In Gmail, go to Settings and type the address directly into the blocked addresses section. In Outlook, you can add addresses to your blocked list in Junk email settings. Check your specific service's settings for the exact steps.

What if someone uses a slightly different email address to contact me again?

Blocks are tied to the exact email address, so john.smith@example.com and johnsmith@example.com are treated as different addresses. You'll need to block each one separately. If this becomes a pattern, use filters or rules to catch emails with similar names or domains.

Do I need to block someone on my phone and computer separately?

No. Blocks sync across devices automatically. If you block someone in Gmail on your phone, they're blocked in Gmail on your computer too. The same applies to Outlook, Yahoo, and Apple Mail.

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

Most email services don't have a built-in block-by-domain feature, but you can create a filter or rule that catches all emails from a domain. In Gmail, create a filter with the domain name (like @example.com) and set it to delete or skip the inbox. Check your service's filter options for the exact steps.