The fastest way depends on which email service you use

Unblocking an email address takes different steps depending on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or another service. The blocked sender's messages may be in a spam folder, a blocked list, or a filter you created. Most services let you unblock in under a minute once you know where to look.

If you do not remember which service holds the account, check the email address itself — it usually shows the domain (gmail.com, outlook.com, yahoo.com) in the sender line or in your account settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail stores blocked addresses in a blocked senders list you can access from Settings, and unblocking removes the block when ready.
  • Outlook and Yahoo Mail use similar settings menus, though Outlook calls it "Junk Email" and Yahoo calls it "Blocked Addresses".
  • Messages from a blocked sender may already be in your spam or junk folder, so check there before unblocking.
  • If you created a filter or rule that sends someone's mail to spam automatically, unblocking the address alone will not move old messages back to your inbox.

Unblocking in Gmail

Open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner, then select Settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. You will see a list of every address you have blocked. Find the sender you want to unblock and click Unblock next to their name.

Once you unblock, that sender's future emails will arrive in your inbox normally. Messages they sent while blocked may still be in your spam folder — you can search for their address and move those messages back to your inbox manually if you want to see them.

Unblocking in Outlook

In Outlook on the web, click the gear icon in the top right and select View all Outlook settings. Go to Mail, then Junk email. Under Blocked senders, you will see a list of addresses. Click the minus sign next to the address you want to unblock.

In the Outlook desktop app for Windows or Mac, go to File > Options (Windows) or Preferences (Mac), then Mail > Junk Email. Select the address and click Remove.

Unblocking in Yahoo Mail

Click the gear icon in the top right and select Settings. Go to Security and privacy, then Blocked addresses. Find the sender in the list and click the X or Remove button next to their name.

Yahoo also has a separate spam folder. If you unblock someone but their old messages are still in spam, you can search for their address and move those messages to your inbox.

What to do if messages are stuck in spam

Unblocking an address does not automatically move old messages from your spam folder back to your inbox. You have two options: search for the sender's address in your email, select all their messages, and move them to your inbox manually, or leave them in spam and only receive future messages normally.

If you want future messages from this sender to skip spam entirely, you can also add them to your contacts or create a filter rule that sends their mail directly to your inbox. In Gmail, this is under Filters and Blocked Addresses. In Outlook, it is under Junk Email > Safe Senders. In Yahoo, it is under Filters.

Unblocking on phone apps

On the Gmail app for iPhone or Android, tap the three-line menu, select Settings, choose your account, then Blocked addresses. Swipe left on the address you want to unblock and tap Unblock.

On the Outlook mobile app, tap the menu icon, go to Settings, select your account, then Junk email. Tap Blocked senders and swipe left to remove an address. On Yahoo Mail's app, tap the menu, go to Settings, select Blocked addresses, and swipe to remove.

Why a sender might still go to spam after unblocking

Unblocking removes only the manual block you created. If your email service's spam filter is catching their messages automatically — because their domain is flagged, their message looks like spam, or they are sending from an unfamiliar server — unblocking will not stop that.

To fix this, add the sender to your contacts or safe senders list. In Gmail, mark one of their messages as "Not spam" and the filter learns. In Outlook, add them to Safe Senders under Junk Email settings. In Yahoo, add them to your contacts. These steps tell your email service to trust this sender going forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unblock someone without going into settings?

In Gmail, you can right-click a message from the blocked sender and select "Unblock [sender]" directly. In Outlook and Yahoo, you must go through settings. The settings route takes about 30 seconds.

Will unblocking show me messages they sent while they were blocked?

No. Unblocking only affects future messages. Old messages stay in spam unless you move them manually. Search for the sender's address, select their messages, and move them to your inbox if you want to read them.

What if I blocked someone by accident and do not remember their address?

Go to your blocked senders list in settings and look through it. If you still cannot find them, check your spam folder for recent messages from people you do not recognize — one of them may be the person you blocked.

Do I need to unblock someone on my phone and my computer separately?

No. Blocked senders lists sync across devices. If you unblock on your computer, they are unblocked on your phone too. The change takes a few minutes to sync.

What if someone keeps sending me mail after I unblock them and I want to block them again?

You can block them again using the same steps you used to unblock. You can also mark their messages as spam instead, which trains your email filter without creating a manual block.