The fastest way depends on what email service you use

The method to stop emails from a specific person changes based on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or another service. All of them let you block a sender or unsubscribe from their messages, but the steps and the result are different. Blocking prevents their emails from reaching your inbox at all. Unsubscribing works only if the sender included an unsubscribe link — it tells them you no longer want their messages, but they have to honor it.

Start by opening one email from the person you want to stop hearing from. Look for a block option (Gmail and Outlook call it this directly) or an unsubscribe link at the very bottom of the email. If you see an unsubscribe link, try that first — it is faster and the sender removes you from their list automatically. If there is no unsubscribe link, or if unsubscribing did not work after a week, use the block feature instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail all have a block sender feature that stops emails from reaching your inbox, usually found by clicking the three-dot menu on an email.
  • An unsubscribe link at the bottom of an email is faster than blocking if it is present, because the sender removes you from their list automatically.
  • Blocking a sender does not delete their past emails — you have to delete those separately if you want them gone.
  • If someone keeps emailing you after you have blocked them, they may be using different email addresses, and you will need to block each one.

How to block someone in Gmail

Open any email from the person you want to block. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the email. A dropdown menu appears with several options. Click "Block [sender's name]" near the bottom of that menu.

Gmail will move that sender's future emails directly to spam. Their old emails stay in your inbox unless you delete them — blocking does not erase the past. If you want to clean up, go to your inbox, search for their name or email address, select all their messages, and delete them. You can also check your spam folder to confirm their new emails are landing there.

How to block someone in Outlook

Open an email from the sender. Click the three dots in the top right corner. Select "Block" from the menu that appears. Outlook will send their future emails to your junk folder automatically.

Like Gmail, blocking does not delete old emails. If you want to remove their past messages, search for their name in your inbox, select all results, and delete them. You can verify the block worked by checking your junk folder after a few days — their new emails should appear there.

How to block someone in Yahoo Mail

Open an email from the person. Click the three dots in the top right. Select "Block sender" from the menu. Yahoo Mail will route their future emails to spam.

Past emails remain in your inbox. To remove them, search for the sender's name or address, select all their messages, and delete them. Check your spam folder after a few days to confirm the block is working.

Using unsubscribe links when they are available

Many marketing emails, newsletters, and promotional messages include an unsubscribe link at the very bottom. It usually says "Unsubscribe" or "Manage preferences" in small text. Clicking it takes you to a page where you can remove yourself from their mailing list. This is faster than blocking because the sender's system removes your address automatically — you do not have to take action again.

Unsubscribe links work best for legitimate businesses and newsletters. If the sender is a person you know or a service you did not sign up for, blocking is more reliable. Some senders ignore unsubscribe requests, so if emails keep arriving after a week, go back and block them instead.

What to do if someone keeps emailing you after you have blocked them

If you continue receiving emails from someone after blocking them, they may be using different email addresses. Each address needs to be blocked separately. Open the new email, find the sender's address, and block that one too. Check the email address carefully — sometimes people use variations like firstname.lastname@domain.com versus firstnamelastname@domain.com.

If the emails are harassing or threatening, do not just block — report them to your email provider as well. In Gmail, click the three dots and select "Report phishing" or "Report spam." In Outlook, click the three dots and choose "Report." In Yahoo Mail, click the three dots and select "Report as spam." Your provider can investigate patterns of abuse and take action beyond your individual block.

Blocking does not delete old emails

Blocking a sender stops new emails from reaching your inbox, but it does not remove the messages they already sent you. If you want those gone, you have to delete them yourself. Search for their name or email address in your inbox, select all the results, and move them to trash or delete them permanently.

Some people prefer to keep old emails for a record, even after blocking the sender. That is fine — the block only affects new messages. If you change your mind later and want to unblock someone, you can usually do that in your email settings under blocked senders or blocked contacts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I have blocked them?

No. When you block someone, their emails go to spam, but they do not receive a notification that you blocked them. They might notice if their emails stop getting responses, but the email service does not tell them they are blocked.

What is the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?

Unsubscribing tells the sender to remove you from their mailing list — it works only if they included an unsubscribe link and honor it. Blocking prevents all emails from that address from reaching your inbox, regardless of whether they have an unsubscribe link. Blocking is more reliable if unsubscribing does not work.

If I block someone, will they see that their emails are bouncing?

No. Blocked emails go to your spam folder silently. The sender does not receive a bounce-back message or any notification. From their perspective, the email was sent successfully.

Can I block someone on my phone the same way as on a computer?

Yes. Open the email app on your phone, find an email from the sender, tap the menu icon (usually three dots), and select block or report spam. The steps are the same whether you use a phone or computer.

What should I do if the emails are from a scammer or someone threatening me?

Block them, then report the email to your provider as spam or phishing. Do not respond to the email or click any links in it. If the threats are serious, contact local police and provide them with the email headers and sender information.