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 arrive in your inbox normally.

The whole process takes about 30 seconds. Once you delete them from the blocked list, Gmail treats them like any other sender — their messages go to your inbox, spam folder, or wherever your filters direct them, depending on your other settings.

If you cannot find the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, you may be using Gmail's newer layout. Try clicking All settings instead of See all settings, or search for "blocked" in the settings search bar at the top of the page.

Key Takeaways

  • Unblocking happens in Settings under Filters and Blocked Addresses, where you delete the sender's address from the blocked list.
  • After you unblock someone, their emails behave like any other sender's — they may still land in spam if Gmail's filters catch them.
  • You can block or unblock someone directly from an email by clicking the three dots next to their name and selecting block or unblock.
  • Unblocking does not notify the sender, and it does not recover emails they sent while they were blocked.

Unblocking from an email message directly

If you have an email from the person you want to unblock, you can unblock them without going to Settings. Open the message, click the three vertical dots (more options) in the top right of the email, and select Unblock [sender's name]. Gmail removes them from your blocked list when ready.

This method works only if you can see the email — if Gmail is filtering it to spam or another folder, you may need to find it first. Check your spam folder or search for the sender's address in the search bar to locate a recent message.

What happens after you unblock someone

Unblocking restores normal email delivery, but it does not change other Gmail settings. If you have a filter that sends their emails to a specific folder, that filter stays active. If you marked their previous emails as spam, those messages remain in your spam folder.

The sender does not receive a notification that you unblocked them. They will not know you had them blocked unless you tell them. If they were trying to reach you while blocked, their emails were deleted, and you cannot recover them — unblocking does not restore old messages.

Blocking someone again if needed

If you unblock someone and later decide you want to block them again, the process is the same. Open an email from them, click the three dots, and select Block [sender's name]. Or go back to Settings, find their address in the blocked list, and add them again.

You can also create a filter to automatically delete or skip their emails instead of blocking them. This gives you more control — for example, you could send their emails to a folder instead of deleting them, so you can review them later if needed.

Unblocking a domain instead of a single address

If you blocked an entire domain (like @company.com) instead of one person, the unblocking process is the same. Go to Settings, find the domain in your blocked addresses list, and delete it. After that, emails from anyone at that domain will reach your inbox again.

Be careful when unblocking a domain, because it unblocks everyone from that organization. If you blocked the domain because of one person, consider blocking just their individual email address instead, or creating a filter to manage their messages separately.

Troubleshooting if you cannot find the blocked address

If you go to Settings and do not see the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab, Gmail may be showing you a simplified settings view. Click All settings at the top of the Settings page, or try the search box at the top of Settings and type "blocked" to jump directly to that section.

Another possibility: you may have created a filter instead of a block. Filters and blocks are different. A filter can automatically delete, archive, or sort emails, while a block prevents someone from contacting you. Check both the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab and the Filters tab to see which one you used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unblock someone if I deleted their email?

Yes. Unblocking and deleting are separate actions. Even if you deleted all their emails, you can still unblock them in Settings. Their future emails will arrive normally once you remove them from the blocked list.

Will the person know I unblocked them?

No. Gmail does not send a notification when you unblock someone. They will only know if you tell them or if they notice their emails are reaching you again.

What is the difference between blocking and filtering?

Blocking deletes all future emails from someone automatically. Filtering lets you choose what happens to their emails — you can send them to a folder, mark them as read, or delete them. Filtering gives you more options if you want to keep some control over their messages.

If I unblock someone, will I see the emails they sent while they were blocked?

No. Emails sent while someone was blocked are deleted and cannot be recovered. Unblocking only affects new messages going forward.

Can I block someone by domain instead of by individual email address?

Yes. When you block an address, you can block the full email or just the domain. If you block @company.com, all emails from anyone at that company will be blocked. You unblock it the same way — find it in your blocked list and delete it.