The fastest way to block an email sender

Open the email you want to block. Look for the three dots (more options menu) in the top right corner of the message and click it. Select Block "[sender name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will when ready send all future emails from that address to your spam folder and remove any existing emails from that sender.

That single action is usually enough. The sender's address goes on your block list, and you will not see their messages again unless you unblock them later. You do not need to do anything else — Gmail handles the rest automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender takes one click from the three-dot menu and sends all their future emails straight to spam.
  • Unsubscribe links at the bottom of marketing emails are faster than blocking if you straightforward do not want to hear from a legitimate business anymore.
  • Gmail's filters let you block entire groups of senders at once — useful if you are getting spam from many addresses that look similar.
  • Blocking someone does not delete their past emails; they move to spam, where you can still find them if you need to.
  • If a blocked sender creates a new email address and keeps contacting you, report them as spam instead of blocking each address one by one.

When to unsubscribe instead of blocking

If the email came from a real business — a store you shopped at, a newsletter you signed up for, a service you use — look for an unsubscribe link at the very bottom of the message. Click it and confirm. This tells the sender's system to remove you from their mailing list, and it is faster than blocking because it stops the emails at the source rather than filtering them after they arrive.

Unsubscribe works best for legitimate companies that respect the request. Blocking works better for spam, scams, or senders who ignore unsubscribe requests. If you unsubscribe and the emails keep coming, then block the address.

Using filters to block multiple senders at once

If you are getting spam from many different addresses that follow a pattern — like all coming from the same domain, or all containing certain words in the subject line — a filter is faster than blocking each one individually. Click the settings gear in the top right of Gmail, then select See all settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab.

Click Create a new filter. In the "From" field, type the sender's address or domain (for example, @spammerdomain.com to block everyone from that domain). You can also filter by subject line or keywords. Click Create filter, then check the box next to Delete it or Skip the inbox (Archive it), and confirm. From that point on, any email matching those criteria will bypass your inbox automatically.

What happens when you block someone

Blocking a sender does three things: their future emails go to spam, their past emails move to your spam folder, and they cannot see if you have read their messages. The sender does not receive a notification that you blocked them — they will only know if their emails stop reaching you and they check their spam folder or contact you another way.

You can unblock a sender anytime. Go to settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, find the blocked address in the list, and click the Unblock button next to it. Their past emails will not return to your inbox, but new messages from them will arrive normally again.

Reporting spam instead of just blocking

If a blocked sender creates new email addresses and keeps contacting you, or if you are getting obvious scam emails, use the Report spam button instead of blocking. Open the email, click the three dots, and select Report spam. This tells Gmail's spam detection system about the message, which helps protect other Gmail users from the same sender.

Reporting is especially useful for phishing emails (messages pretending to be from your bank, PayPal, or another service asking you to click a link and log in). These often come from new addresses, so blocking one address does not stop the next one. Reporting helps Gmail recognize the pattern and catch similar emails before they reach anyone's inbox.

Blocking emails on mobile devices

The Gmail app on iPhone and Android works the same way as the desktop version. Open the unwanted email, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select Block sender. On some Android versions, you may see Report spam as the first option; tap that, and a Block sender option will appear below it.

You cannot create filters from the mobile app, so if you need to set up complex rules or block an entire domain, open Gmail in your phone's web browser instead. The settings page works the same way as on a computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, through filters. Go to settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, and create a new filter. Leave the "From" field blank and type your keyword in the "Subject" or "Has the words" field instead. Then choose to delete or archive matching emails. This catches spam with changing sender addresses but the same subject line.

What if I blocked someone by mistake?

Go to Gmail settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, find the sender's address in the blocked list, and click Unblock. Their future emails will arrive normally. Past emails that moved to spam will stay there unless you manually move them back to your inbox.

Does blocking someone prevent them from seeing my emails?

No. Blocking only stops you from receiving their messages. If you send them an email, it will arrive normally. Blocking is one-way — it affects only what you see, not what they can send or receive.

Will the sender know I blocked them?

They will not receive a notification. They will only know if they notice their emails are not reaching you, check their spam folder, or try to contact you through another method and you respond.

Can I block emails from a specific domain like @company.com?

Yes, through a filter. Create a new filter, type @company.com in the "From" field, and choose to delete or archive those emails. This blocks everyone from that domain at once, rather than blocking individual addresses one by one.