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

Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all have a block feature built into the inbox itself — you do not need to dig through settings or install anything. The steps take less than a minute. Once you block someone, their emails stop arriving in your inbox and go to spam automatically. You will not see a notification that they tried to reach you.

The blocked sender can still send messages, but they land in your spam folder instead of your inbox. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them just as quickly. Most email services let you block up to several hundred addresses before you hit any limit.

Key Takeaways

  • In Gmail, open an email from the sender, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender name]" — the whole process takes two clicks.
  • In Outlook on the web, right-click the sender's name in the email and choose "Block" from the menu that appears.
  • In Apple Mail on Mac, select the email and go to Mail menu > Junk Mail > Block Sender, or use the block icon in the toolbar.
  • Blocked emails go to your spam folder, not deleted, so you can review them later if needed.
  • Unblocking a sender uses the same menu path — the block option becomes an unblock option once someone is already blocked.

Blocking someone in Gmail

Open any email from the person you want to block. Look for the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the email. Click it and select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will confirm the block with a small message at the top of the screen.

After you block them, Gmail automatically sends all future emails from that address to your spam folder. If you ever need 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]".

Blocking someone in Outlook (web version)

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Right-click directly on the sender's name or email address at the top of the message. A menu will appear with several options — select "Block" or "Block Sender". Outlook will move that email and all future ones from that address to your junk folder.

If you are using Outlook on your desktop computer instead of the web, the steps are slightly different: click the sender's name, then go to the Home tab at the top and select "Junk" > "Block Sender". The result is the same — future emails land in junk automatically.

Blocking someone in Apple Mail on Mac

Select the email from the sender you want to block. At the top of your screen, click the Mail menu, then hover over "Junk Mail" and select "Block Sender". Apple Mail will when ready move that email to your junk folder and route all future messages from that address there as well.

Some versions of Apple Mail also show a block icon (usually a circle with a line through it) in the toolbar at the top of the email itself. If you see it, you can click it directly instead of using the menu. To unblock someone, open one of their emails from your junk folder and repeat the same steps — the option will now say "Unblock Sender".

What happens after you block someone

Once you block an address, you will not see notifications when they send you emails. The messages arrive in your spam or junk folder silently. You can still look at your spam folder anytime to see what landed there — blocking does not delete the emails, it just hides them from your main inbox.

The blocked sender does not receive any notification that you blocked them. They will not know their emails are going to spam. If they contact you through another method asking why you are not responding, that is between you and them — your email service does not tell them anything.

Blocking multiple addresses or entire domains

If you are getting emails from many addresses at the same company or domain (like spam@company.com, noreply@company.com, etc.), you may be able to block the entire domain instead of individual addresses. Gmail and Outlook both support this, but the process is not available in the quick-block menu — you have to go into your email settings.

In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter. Type the domain name (for example, @spamcompany.com) in the "From" field, then select "Delete" or "Skip the Inbox" to send all emails from that domain to trash or spam. In Outlook, go to Settings > Mail > Junk Email and add the domain to the "Blocked Senders" list. This approach works best for unwanted newsletters or automated messages from a single source.

Unblocking an address you blocked by mistake

If you blocked someone and now want to hear from them again, the process is straightforward. Go to your spam or junk folder and find an email from that sender. Open it and use the same block menu you used before — the option will now say "Unblock" instead of "Block". Click it, and their future emails will return to your inbox.

In Gmail, you can also go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses to see your full list of blocked addresses and unblock anyone from there without having to dig through spam. Outlook and Apple Mail do not have a central list view, so finding an email from the sender in your junk folder is usually faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person I blocked know that I blocked them?

No. Your email service does not send them any notification. Their emails straightforward go to your spam folder instead of your inbox. They will not receive a bounce-back message or any other signal that you blocked them.

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

The quick-block feature only works by sender address, but Gmail and Outlook both let you create filters that catch emails by subject, keyword, or other details. Go to Settings > Filters (Gmail) or Settings > Mail > Rules (Outlook) to set these up. This is useful for blocking newsletters or automated messages that come from different addresses.

What if someone keeps emailing me from different addresses?

You can block each address individually, but if it is the same person using multiple accounts, blocking the entire domain (if they all share one) is faster. If they are using completely different domains, you may need to consider reporting them for harassment or spam instead — most email services have a report button in the spam folder.

Do blocked emails take up storage space in my spam folder?

Yes, they do. Most email services automatically delete spam after 30 days, so blocked emails will eventually disappear on their own. If your spam folder is full and you want to clear it faster, you can empty it manually — just make sure you are not deleting anything you actually need first.

Can I block emails on my phone the same way I do on a computer?

Yes, but the steps vary slightly depending on whether you use the Gmail app, Outlook app, or Apple Mail on iPhone. In most mobile apps, you swipe left or right on an email to reveal a block option, or you tap and hold the sender's name to see a menu. The result is identical — the sender goes to spam automatically.