The fastest way to unblock someone in Outlook

Open Outlook and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Select View all Outlook settings, then choose Mail > Junk email. You'll see a section called Blocked senders — find the email address you want to unblock, click the trash icon next to it, and confirm the deletion. The person can now send you messages again.

The process takes about 30 seconds. Once you remove an address from the blocked list, Outlook treats that sender like any other contact — their messages will arrive in your inbox or spam folder depending on your other filter settings, not because of a block.

If you're using Outlook on a desktop computer instead of the web version, the steps are slightly different but the idea is the same: you're removing the address from a list that Outlook checks before delivering mail.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders in Outlook are stored in your junk email settings, not in a separate security feature.
  • You can unblock someone by finding their address in the blocked senders list and deleting it.
  • Desktop Outlook and web Outlook have different menu paths, but both lead to the same blocked senders list.
  • Unblocking an address does not delete any messages they sent while blocked — those stay in your junk folder.
  • If someone's messages still don't arrive after unblocking, check whether your email provider or your organization's mail server has a separate block in place.

Unblocking in Outlook on the web

The web version of Outlook (outlook.com or outlook.office.com) is the easiest place to manage blocked senders. Click the gear icon in the top right corner, then select View all Outlook settings. From there, navigate to Mail in the left sidebar, then click Junk email.

You'll see several sections on this page. Look for Blocked senders — it's usually near the top. The list shows every email address you've blocked. Find the one you want to unblock, hover over it, and click the trash icon that appears. Outlook will ask you to confirm; click Yes and you're done.

If the blocked senders list is empty but you know you blocked someone, they may have been removed already, or the block may be stored elsewhere (see the section on organizational blocks below).

Unblocking in Outlook desktop process

If you use Outlook on Windows or Mac, the path is different. Open Outlook and go to File > Options (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences (Mac). Then select Trust Center and click Trust Center Settings.

In the Trust Center window, click Safe Senders & Block List on the left. You'll see tabs for different types of lists — click the Blocked Senders tab. Find the address you want to unblock, select it, and click Remove. Click OK to save the change.

Desktop Outlook syncs this list with your account, so unblocking on your computer will also unblock the sender in the web version and on your phone. The sync usually happens within a few minutes.

Unblocking on Outlook mobile apps

The Outlook app for iPhone and Android does not have a built-in way to view or manage your blocked senders list directly. Instead, open Outlook on the web using your phone's browser, follow the web steps above, and the change will sync to your mobile app within a few minutes.

Alternatively, you can open the email from the blocked sender (it will be in your junk folder), tap the three dots or menu icon, and look for an option like Unblock sender or Not junk. This option is not always visible, so the web method is more reliable.

When unblocking doesn't work

Sometimes you'll unblock an address in Outlook but still won't receive messages from that person. This usually means the block exists somewhere else in the chain between the sender and your inbox.

If you use Outlook through your workplace, your organization's mail server (often Microsoft Exchange or another system) may have a separate block in place. Contact your IT department or help desk to ask whether the sender is blocked at the organization level. They can remove it on their end.

If you use a free Outlook.com account, check whether you've set up any mail rules that automatically delete or move messages from that sender. Go to Settings > Mail > Rules and look for any rules that mention the sender's address or domain. Delete the rule if you find one.

Your email provider's spam filter can also block messages before they reach Outlook. If the sender says their messages are bouncing back, ask them to check the delivery status on their end — that will tell you whether the block is in Outlook or upstream.

Recovering messages from a blocked sender

When you block someone in Outlook, their past messages don't disappear — they move to your junk folder. After you unblock them, those old messages stay in junk unless you move them manually.

To find messages from that sender, go to your Junk folder and search for their email address or name. Select the messages you want to keep, then click Move and choose the folder where you'd like them (usually Inbox or a specific folder). You can also mark them as Not junk, which tells Outlook to treat future messages from that sender as legitimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I unblocked them?

No. Unblocking is invisible to the sender. They won't receive a notification, and there's no way for them to know when you've removed them from your blocked list. They'll only know if their messages start arriving in your inbox and you tell them.

Can I block and unblock the same person multiple times?

Yes. You can block and unblock any address as many times as you need. Each time you block someone, their future messages go to junk. Each time you unblock, they're treated normally again. There's no limit or penalty for changing your mind.

What's the difference between blocking and marking as junk?

Blocking adds an address to a list that Outlook checks before delivering mail — those messages go straight to junk. Marking a single message as junk trains Outlook's filter but doesn't block the sender. Blocking is permanent until you unblock; marking as junk is a one-time action that may not stop future messages from that sender.

If I unblock someone, will their old messages move back to my inbox?

No. Unblocking only affects future messages. Messages that arrived while the sender was blocked stay in your junk folder. You have to move them manually if you want them in your inbox. This gives you control — you can unblock someone without being flooded with old messages.

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

Outlook's blocked senders list works with individual email addresses, not domains. If you want to block everyone from a company domain (like @example.com), you'll need to create a mail rule instead. Go to Settings > Mail > Rules and set up a rule that moves messages from that domain to junk or deletes them.