The fastest way to unblock someone in Gmail

Open Gmail and click the settings gear in the top right corner, then select See all settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Find the sender you want to unblock in the list, click the X next to their address, and confirm the removal. That person's emails will now arrive in your inbox instead of being filtered out.

The entire process takes about 30 seconds. Once you unblock them, their future emails come through normally — Gmail does not automatically retrieve old messages they sent while blocked. If you need to read something they sent during the time they were blocked, you will have to ask them to resend it.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked addresses appear in Gmail's Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, where you can remove them with a single click.
  • Unblocking someone stops Gmail from filtering their future emails, but does not restore messages they sent while the block was active.
  • If you blocked someone by mistake, you can unblock them from the same settings page without needing to contact Gmail support.
  • Blocking and unblocking affect only that one email address — if someone has multiple addresses, you would need to unblock each one separately.

Where to find your blocked senders list

Gmail keeps all your blocked addresses in one place. Click the settings gear icon in the top right of your Gmail window, then choose See all settings from the dropdown menu. The settings page opens in a new tab.

Once you are in settings, look for the tab labeled Filters and Blocked Addresses near the top of the page. Click it. You will see a section called Blocked addresses with a list of every email address you have blocked. If you have not blocked anyone, this section will be empty. The list shows the full email address for each blocked sender, making it straightforward to find the person you want to unblock.

Removing an address from your blocked list

Find the sender's address in the blocked list. Next to each address is a small X button. Click that X to unblock them.

Gmail will ask you to confirm: "Unblock [email address]?" Click the confirmation button. The address disappears from your blocked list when ready. You do not need to save or explore anything — the change takes effect right away. If you change your mind within a few seconds, you can click the undo option that appears briefly after the removal.

What happens after you unblock someone

Once unblocked, that person's emails will arrive in your inbox like any other message. Gmail will not mark them as special or send them to a separate folder. New messages from them will appear in your inbox with the same priority as any other incoming email, and you will receive notifications for their messages if you have notifications turned on.

If they sent you messages while they were blocked, you will not see those old messages — unblocking only affects email sent after you remove the block. Gmail does not store or recover blocked messages. If you want to read messages they sent before you unblocked them, you would need to ask them to resend those emails.

Unblocking someone who used multiple email addresses

Some people have more than one email address. If you blocked someone at work@company.com but they also email you from personal@gmail.com, you would need to unblock both addresses separately. Gmail treats each address as its own entry in the blocked list, so blocking one address does not affect the other.

Check your blocked addresses list carefully to see if the person has multiple entries. Unblock each one individually using the X button. If you are not sure whether an address belongs to the same person, you can ask them before unblocking. This is especially common with people who have both work and personal email accounts.

Blocking someone again if you change your mind

If you unblock someone and later decide you want to block them again, open one of their emails and click the three-dot menu icon at the top right of the message. Select Block [sender's name] from the dropdown. They will be added back to your blocked list when ready.

You can also block someone from the blocked addresses list itself by clicking the settings gear, going to Filters and Blocked Addresses, and using the option to add a new blocked address manually — though most people find it easier to block directly from an email. There is no limit to how many times you can block and unblock the same person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unblock someone without going to settings?

No, you have to use the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab in settings. Gmail does not provide an unblock button in the email itself or in your inbox. The settings page is the only place where you can see and manage your full blocked list.

Will unblocking someone let me see emails they sent while blocked?

No. Gmail deletes or permanently filters blocked messages — they are not stored somewhere waiting to be recovered. If you need to read something they sent while blocked, ask them to send it again.

What if I unblock someone by accident?

You can block them again when ready by opening one of their emails, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting Block [sender's name]. There is no penalty for blocking and unblocking multiple times.

Does unblocking on my phone work the same way as on a computer?

The steps are the same, but the layout looks slightly different on mobile. Open Gmail on your phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down to Settings, select your account, tap Filters and Blocked Addresses, and tap the X next to the address you want to unblock.

What if the person I want to unblock is not in my blocked list?

If you do not see their address in the blocked list, they may not actually be blocked. Check your spam or trash folders to see if their emails are being filtered there instead. You can also search for their email address in Gmail's search bar to see if any of their messages exist in your account.