The fastest way depends on which email service you use

Most email services let you unblock someone in two or three clicks, but the exact steps change depending on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or another provider. The blocked person will not know you unblocked them, and old messages from them will reappear in your inbox once you do. You do not need to send them a message or do anything else — unblocking is a one-way action on your end.

If you blocked someone by mistake, or if you blocked them months ago and want to hear from them again, unblocking is straightforward. The person will be able to email you normally after you unblock them, and their messages will land in your inbox instead of being rejected or sent to spam.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail users can unblock an address by opening Settings, going to Filters and Blocked Addresses, finding the blocked sender, and clicking Unblock.
  • Outlook users should go to Settings, select Mail, then Junk Email, find the blocked sender under Blocked Senders, and click the X to remove them.
  • Yahoo Mail users can access their blocked list in Settings under Security and Privacy, then click the X next to any blocked address.
  • Unblocking someone does not notify them, and old messages from that person will reappear in your inbox once you unblock them.
  • If you use a work email or a less common email service, check your email provider's help documentation, as the steps may differ.

Unblocking someone in Gmail

Open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner, then select See all settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Scroll down to the section labeled Blocked addresses — you will see a list of every email address you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click the Unblock button next to their name.

Once you unblock them, Gmail will stop filtering their messages. Any emails they sent you while they were blocked will show up in your inbox, usually at the top. If they sent you many messages, you may see them all arrive at once.

Unblocking someone in Outlook or Outlook.com

Sign in to your Outlook account and click the gear icon in the top right. Select View all Outlook settings, then go to Mail in the left sidebar. Click Junk email. Under the Blocked Senders section, you will see a list of blocked addresses. Find the person you want to unblock and click the X button next to their name to remove them from the list.

Outlook will stop treating their messages as junk when ready. If they have sent you emails while blocked, those messages will move from your Junk folder back to your Inbox.

Unblocking someone in Yahoo Mail

Log in to Yahoo Mail and click your account icon in the top right corner. Select Account info, then go to Security and privacy in the left menu. Look for the Blocked addresses section. Find the email address you want to unblock and click the X next to it.

Yahoo will remove them from your blocked list right away. Messages from that person will no longer be blocked or sent to spam.

What happens to old messages after you unblock someone

When you unblock an email address, messages that person sent you while they were blocked will reappear in your inbox. In Gmail, these messages usually show up at the top of your inbox. In Outlook and Yahoo Mail, they typically go back to your Inbox folder if they were in Junk, or they may appear in the order they were originally received.

You can delete these old messages if you do not want to keep them. Unblocking does not force you to read or respond to anything — it only stops the blocking filter from working.

Unblocking on mobile apps

If you use the Gmail app on your phone, open the app and tap your profile picture in the top right. Go to Manage your Google Account, then the Security tab. Scroll down to Third-party apps with account access — wait, that is not the right path. Instead, open Gmail's web version on your phone's browser and follow the desktop steps above, as the mobile app does not have a direct unblock option.

For Outlook mobile, open the app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines). Go to Settings, then Junk email, and look for Blocked senders. Tap the blocked address and select Unblock. Yahoo Mail's mobile app works similarly — tap the menu, go to Settings, find Blocked addresses, and tap the address to unblock it.

If you cannot find your blocked list

Some email providers hide the blocked list in different places, or use different names for the setting. If you have looked in Settings and cannot find it, try searching your email provider's help documentation for "blocked senders" or "block list." You can also search within your email's settings using the search box if one is available.

If you use a work email account through your company, your IT department may control blocking settings, and you might not be able to unblock addresses yourself. In that case, contact your IT support team and ask them to unblock the address for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I unblocked them?

No. Unblocking is invisible to the other person. They will not receive a notification, and there is no way for them to know you unblocked them unless you tell them.

Can I block someone again after unblocking them?

Yes. You can block and unblock the same person as many times as you want. Each time you block them, their messages will stop arriving in your inbox. Each time you unblock them, messages will come through again.

What if I unblocked someone by mistake?

You can block them again using the same process you used to block them the first time. Go back to your blocked addresses list and add them again. Their messages will stop arriving when ready.

Do unblocked messages appear in my spam folder or my inbox?

They appear in your Inbox. Unblocking removes the block filter, so messages from that person are treated like any other incoming email. They may still be flagged as spam by your email provider's spam filter, but they will not be blocked specifically because of your block list.

Can I unblock a group email address or mailing list?

Yes, you can unblock any email address the same way you unblock a person. If you blocked a group email or mailing list, unblocking it will let messages from that address come through again.