Where blocked emails go and how to retrieve them

When you block an email address, messages from that sender don't land in your inbox — but they don't disappear entirely. Most email providers keep blocked messages in a separate folder or list so you can review them later if you change your mind. The exact location depends on which email service you use, and the steps to find them take less than a minute once you know where to look.

The blocked messages stay there until you manually delete them or unblock the sender. Some providers automatically delete them after 30 days; others keep them indefinitely. Knowing how to locate these messages matters if you blocked someone by mistake, need to retrieve information from an old message, or want to confirm what you're actually blocking before you do it.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail stores blocked senders in a "Blocked and Reported" list accessible through Settings, and their messages appear in a folder you can view anytime.
  • Outlook and Microsoft 365 keep blocked messages in a "Blocked Senders" list under Junk Email settings, where you can see sender names and unblock them.
  • Apple Mail and Yahoo Mail handle blocked senders differently — Apple doesn't show you the messages themselves, while Yahoo stores them in Spam.
  • Unblocking a sender is a one-click action in most providers and when ready allows their future messages into your inbox.
  • Third-party email apps like Thunderbird or mobile apps may not display blocked messages the same way as the web version of your email.

Finding blocked emails in Gmail

In Gmail, blocked senders are listed in your Settings, but the actual messages they sent go to a folder called "Blocked and Reported." To see the list of people you've blocked, open Gmail, click the gear icon in the top right, select Settings, then go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. You'll see every address you've blocked listed there.

To see the actual messages from blocked senders, look in your folder list on the left side of Gmail. Scroll down past your standard folders (Inbox, Sent Mail, Drafts) and you should see Blocked and Reported. Click it to open that folder and view all messages from people you've blocked. You can read them, search through them, or delete them individually. If you want to unblock someone, go back to Settings, find their address in the Filters and Blocked Addresses list, and click the Unblock button next to their name.

Finding blocked emails in Outlook and Microsoft 365

Outlook and Microsoft 365 store blocked senders in the Junk Email settings. Open your email, click the Settings gear icon, then select View all Outlook settings. Go to Mail > Junk email, and you'll see a section called Blocked Senders with a list of every address you've blocked.

Unlike Gmail, Outlook doesn't create a separate folder to show you the actual messages from blocked senders. Instead, those messages go directly to your Junk folder along with other spam. To find messages from a specific blocked sender, open your Junk folder and search for their email address or name. If you want to unblock someone, go back to the Blocked Senders list in Junk Email settings and click the Remove button next to their name. After you unblock them, their future messages will arrive in your inbox normally.

Finding blocked emails in Apple Mail and Yahoo Mail

Apple Mail doesn't show you a folder of blocked messages the way Gmail does. When you block someone in Apple Mail, their messages are deleted automatically, and there's no separate folder to review them. You can see your list of blocked senders by opening Mail, going to Preferences (or Settings on newer versions), clicking the Junk Mail tab, and looking at the VIP and Blocked section. To unblock someone, find their address in the blocked list and click Remove.

Yahoo Mail keeps blocked messages in your Spam folder. Open Yahoo Mail, click Settings (the gear icon), go to Security and privacy, then Blocked addresses. You'll see the list of blocked senders there. To find their actual messages, check your Spam folder — search for the sender's name or address to locate what they sent. You can read the messages, delete them, or unblock the sender from the Blocked Addresses list by clicking the X next to their name.

What happens when you unblock a sender

Unblocking someone removes them from your blocked list and allows their future messages to reach your inbox. However, unblocking does not automatically retrieve old messages they sent while they were blocked — those remain deleted or in your Spam folder depending on your provider. If you need to recover a specific message from someone you've unblocked, you may have to search your Spam or Trash folder, or ask them to resend it.

Once you unblock a sender, they have no way of knowing you had blocked them. Their messages will arrive like any other sender's mail, and they won't receive a notification. If you unblock someone by mistake, you can block them again when ready using the same process you used the first time.

Blocked emails on mobile apps and third-party clients

If you use Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo on your phone's native Mail app or on a third-party email client like Thunderbird, the blocked messages may not display the same way as they do on the web. Some mobile apps don't show a separate blocked folder at all — they straightforward delete or hide messages from blocked senders without letting you see them. Check your app's settings or help documentation to confirm how it handles blocked mail.

The blocked sender list itself (the names and addresses you've blocked) usually syncs across devices, so if you block someone on your phone, they'll be blocked on your computer too. But the folder or view where you see blocked messages may differ. If you need to review a blocked message, your most reliable option is to log into your email on the web version of your provider, where the blocked folder or list is most complete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see messages from someone I blocked before I unblock them?

Yes, in Gmail and Yahoo Mail you can view the blocked messages in their dedicated folders before deciding to unblock. In Outlook, blocked messages go to Junk, so you can search your Junk folder to see what they sent. In Apple Mail, blocked messages are deleted and cannot be recovered unless you unblock the sender first.

If I unblock someone, will they know I had blocked them?

No. Unblocking a sender is invisible to them. They won't receive any notification, and there's no way for them to see that you had blocked them. Your email provider only tells you who you've blocked — it doesn't inform the other person.

Do blocked messages stay forever or get deleted automatically?

It varies by provider. Gmail and Yahoo keep blocked messages until you delete them manually. Outlook stores them in Junk, which may auto-delete after 30 days depending on your settings. Apple Mail deletes them when ready. Check your provider's settings to see if automatic deletion is turned on.

What if I blocked someone by accident and need their old messages?

Unblock them first, then check your Spam or Junk folder for their messages. If they're not there, ask the sender to resend what you need. In some cases, your email provider's support team can recover deleted messages, but this varies by service and isn't always possible.

Does blocking on my phone block them on my computer too?

Yes, your blocked sender list syncs across devices. If you block someone on your phone, they're blocked on your computer and any other device you use to access that email account. However, the way you view blocked messages may differ between devices.