The fastest way to block an email sender

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the email. Select Block "[sender's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will when ready send that sender's future emails to your spam folder.

That is the complete process. Once blocked, you will not see emails from that address in your inbox, and Gmail will not notify you when they arrive. If you change your mind later, you can unblock the sender by going to Settings, finding the blocked address in your Blocked addresses list, and clicking Unblock.

Key Takeaways

  • The block button is in the three-dot menu on any email — click it and select Block to send that sender's future messages to spam automatically.
  • Blocking only affects new emails; old messages from that sender stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself.
  • You can unblock a sender anytime by going to Settings, scrolling to Blocked addresses, and clicking Unblock next to their name.
  • If an email is already in spam, you can block the sender directly from the spam folder using the same three-dot menu.
  • Blocking a sender is different from unsubscribing — use unsubscribe for newsletters you signed up for, and block for unwanted senders.

Blocking emails on mobile (phone or tablet)

The process on Gmail's mobile app is nearly identical. Open the unwanted email, then tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Tap Block "[sender's name]". The sender's future emails will go to spam.

On iPhone or iPad, you may see the option labeled slightly differently depending on your Gmail app version, but the three-dot menu always contains the block option. Android users will see the same menu structure. If you do not see a block option, make sure your Gmail app is up to date by checking your device's app store.

What happens after you block someone

When you block a sender, Gmail routes all their future emails to your spam folder. You will not see a notification when they send you something. The sender does not receive any message telling them they have been blocked — from their perspective, their email straightforward goes through as normal.

Emails that arrived before you blocked the sender remain in your inbox. If you want them gone, you must delete them yourself or move them to spam. Blocking only affects new mail going forward. If the same person sends you an email from a different address, that new address is not automatically blocked — you would need to block each address separately.

Blocking emails you have already marked as spam

If you have already moved an email to your spam folder, you can block that sender without opening the original message. Go to your Spam folder, find the email, click the three-dot menu, and select Block. This prevents them from sending you anything else.

This approach is useful when you have received multiple unwanted emails from the same sender and want to stop them all at once. You do not have to open each email individually — one block action stops all future messages from that address.

The difference between blocking and unsubscribing

If an email contains an Unsubscribe link at the bottom, the sender is a legitimate mailing list — usually a newsletter, promotion, or notification you signed up for at some point. Clicking Unsubscribe removes you from their list. This is the correct action for emails you no longer want but that came from a real service.

Blocking is for unwanted senders you did not sign up for, spam, or harassment. Unsubscribe works only if the sender honors it; blocking works regardless. If you receive an email with no unsubscribe option and no clear reason for why it reached you, blocking is the right move. Many spam emails do include a fake unsubscribe link designed to confirm your address is active, so when in doubt, block instead.

Unblocking a sender if you change your mind

Go to Gmail Settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right and selecting See all settings. Click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the section labeled Blocked addresses. Find the sender you want to unblock and click the Unblock button next to their name.

Once unblocked, that sender's emails will no longer automatically go to spam. Their messages will arrive in your inbox like any other email. You can block and unblock the same sender as many times as you need to.

When blocking is not enough

If you receive persistent unwanted emails from many different addresses, or if the emails contain threats or harassment, blocking individual senders becomes impractical. In these cases, you can create a filter to catch emails based on keywords, sender domain, or subject line. Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, and select Create a new filter. Enter the criteria (such as a word that appears in all unwanted emails) and choose to automatically delete or spam those messages.

For serious harassment or threats, consider reporting the email to Gmail by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting Report phishing or Report spam. This helps Gmail identify patterns of abuse and protect other users. You can also forward threatening emails to your local police department if the content involves threats of violence or criminal activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the sender know I blocked them?

No. The sender receives no notification that you have blocked them. Their emails straightforward arrive in your spam folder, and they have no way of knowing whether you read them, blocked them, or deleted them. From their perspective, the email was sent successfully.

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

Gmail does not have a built-in block-by-domain feature, but you can create a filter to catch all emails from a domain. Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, select Create a new filter, and enter the domain in the From field using the format @example.com. Choose to delete or spam all messages matching that pattern.

What if I accidentally blocked someone I need to hear from?

Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, find their address in the Blocked addresses list, and click Unblock. Their future emails will arrive in your inbox normally. Any emails they sent while you had them blocked will still be in your spam folder — you can move them back to your inbox if needed.

Does blocking on Gmail also block them on other Google services?

No. Blocking someone in Gmail only affects email. If you want to block them on YouTube, Google Meet, or other Google services, you must block them separately in each service. Gmail blocking does not carry over to your other accounts.

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

Yes, using filters. Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, select Create a new filter, and enter the subject line text in the Subject field. Choose to delete or spam all messages with that subject. This is useful for blocking recurring scams or unwanted notifications that come from different addresses.