The fastest way to unblock someone in Gmail

Open Gmail and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Click See all settings, then select the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. Find the sender you want to unblock in the list, click the trash icon next to their address, and confirm the deletion. The next email from that person will land in your inbox instead of being blocked.

That's the entire process. Once you delete them from the blocked list, Gmail treats their messages like any other incoming mail — they'll go to your inbox, spam folder, or a label depending on your other filter rules.

Key Takeaways

  • Unblocking happens in Settings under Filters and Blocked Addresses, not in your inbox or spam folder.
  • Deleting someone from the blocked list does not delete their past emails — those remain in your spam folder unless you permanently delete them separately.
  • Once unblocked, future emails from that address follow your normal inbox rules and filters.
  • If you blocked someone by mistake, unblocking takes less than a minute and restores normal mail delivery when ready.

Where to find your blocked addresses list

The blocked addresses list lives in Settings, not in your inbox. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of Gmail, then select See all settings. You'll land on the General tab by default. Click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab — it's the second tab in the row.

If you have a lot of blocked addresses, use the search box on that page to find the one you're looking for. Gmail shows you the exact address you blocked, so if you blocked "john@example.com" but want to unblock "john.smith@example.com", those are treated as two separate blocks.

What happens to old emails after you unblock

Unblocking someone does not restore their old emails to your inbox. Any messages they sent while they were blocked stay in your spam folder. You can search for their address in Gmail's search bar, find those old messages, and move them back to your inbox if you want to read them.

If you'd rather not see those old messages at all, you can permanently delete them from spam without unblocking the sender. Unblocking only affects new mail going forward.

Unblocking on mobile (iPhone or Android)

The Gmail app on your phone doesn't have a direct way to view your blocked list. You'll need to open Gmail in a web browser on your phone instead. Go to gmail.com, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down to Settings, then follow the same steps: Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, find the address, delete it.

If you're using the Gmail app and someone tries to contact you, you can also unblock them directly from their message. Open the email, tap the three dots at the top, and select Unblock. This method is faster if you remember who sent the message.

Why an email might not arrive even after unblocking

Unblocking removes Gmail's block, but other filters or rules might still stop the email. Check whether you've created a filter that sends their messages to a specific label or deletes them automatically. Go back to Filters and Blocked Addresses and look for any active filters with that sender's address in them.

It's also possible their email server is having problems, or your email provider is flagging them as spam for reasons unrelated to your block. If emails still don't arrive after a few days, ask the sender to check their sent folder and confirm they're using the right address.

Preventing accidental blocks in the future

Most people block someone by mistake when they right-click a message and hit the wrong option, or when they're frustrated and block without thinking. Before you block an address, pause for a moment — blocking is permanent until you undo it, and you won't see any notification that they've tried to contact you.

If you're getting unwanted mail from a sender, consider using a filter instead. Filters let you automatically send their messages to spam or a specific folder without blocking them outright. You can still read the messages if you change your mind, and you can turn the filter off anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see a list of everyone I've blocked?

Yes. Go to Settings, click Filters and Blocked Addresses, and scroll through the list. Gmail shows every address you've blocked. If the list is long, use the search box to find a specific person.

What if I blocked an entire domain instead of one person?

If you blocked "example.com" (the whole domain) instead of "john@example.com" (one person), unblocking works the same way — find it in the list and delete it. All mail from that domain will then reach your inbox again.

Does unblocking someone let them know I unblocked them?

No. Gmail sends no notification to the sender. They won't know you blocked them in the first place, and they won't know you unblocked them. Only you can see your blocked list.

Can I block and unblock the same person multiple times?

Yes. You can block and unblock the same address as many times as you want. Each time you block, their new messages go to spam. Each time you unblock, new messages go to your inbox.

What if I want to block someone again after unblocking them?

Open any email from that sender, click the three dots, and select Block. Their future messages will go to spam when ready. You can also create a filter to automatically delete their messages instead of just sending them to spam.