Where to find blocked senders in Outlook

Outlook stores blocked addresses in the Junk Email settings, and the exact path depends on which version you use. If you use Outlook on the web (the browser version), go to Settings in the top right, select View all Outlook settings, then Junk email, and look for the Blocked senders list. If you use the Outlook desktop process on Windows or Mac, go to File, then Options (Windows) or Preferences (Mac), select Trust Center, then Junk Email, and find Blocked Senders.

Once you locate the blocked senders list, you will see the email addresses or domains that are currently blocked. The address you want to unblock should appear here. If it does not, the sender may have been filtered by a rule you created instead, which lives in a different location.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders in Outlook are stored in Junk Email settings, which you reach through Settings (web) or File > Options (desktop).
  • To unblock an address, find it in the Blocked Senders list and remove it — the exact button or link depends on your Outlook version.
  • If an email does not appear in Blocked Senders, check your Inbox Rules instead, because manual rules can filter mail the same way.
  • After unblocking, emails from that sender may still be in your Junk folder; you can move them back to your Inbox manually.
  • Unblocking a sender does not automatically fetch old messages — future emails will arrive normally, but past ones stay where they are.

Unblocking a sender in Outlook on the web

In the browser version of Outlook, open Settings (the gear icon in the top right corner). Select View all Outlook settings, then navigate to Junk email in the left sidebar. Under Blocked senders, you will see a list of addresses or domains you have blocked.

Find the address you want to unblock and click the trash or delete icon next to it. Outlook will remove it from the blocked list when ready. The sender's future emails will go to your Inbox instead of Junk, though any messages already in your Junk folder will stay there unless you move them manually.

Unblocking a sender in Outlook desktop (Windows)

Open Outlook and go to File in the top left. Select Options, then Trust Center in the left sidebar, then Junk Email. Click the Blocked Senders button to open the list of blocked addresses.

Highlight the address you want to unblock and click Remove. Click OK to close the dialog, then OK again to save your changes. The sender is now unblocked, and their emails will arrive in your Inbox going forward.

Unblocking a sender in Outlook for Mac

Open Outlook and go to Outlook in the menu bar at the top. Select Preferences, then Junk Email. Click Blocked Senders to view your list.

Select the address you want to unblock and click the minus button (–) below the list. Click OK to save. Future emails from that sender will arrive in your Inbox.

Checking Inbox Rules if the sender is not in Blocked Senders

If you cannot find the sender in your Blocked Senders list, a manual rule may be filtering their mail instead. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Rules. In the desktop version, go to File > Options > Mail > Rules and Alerts (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences > Rules (Mac).

Look through your rules for any that mention the sender's address or domain, or any that automatically send mail to Junk. Select the rule and delete it, or edit it to remove that sender from the condition. This is often the cause when you cannot find an address in the blocked list but mail from them is still being filtered.

Moving emails back to your Inbox after unblocking

Unblocking a sender does not move their old messages out of your Junk folder automatically. You will need to do this manually. In Outlook on the web, go to Junk, find the emails from that sender, select them, and click Move to Inbox. In the desktop version, right-click the selected messages and choose Move > Inbox.

If you have many old messages from the sender, you can use the search box to find all of them at once by typing the sender's email address or name, then select all results and move them together.

Preventing future emails from going to Junk

After unblocking a sender, their emails should arrive in your Inbox. However, if they keep landing in Junk, you can create a rule to keep them out. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Rules and create a new rule that says "if the message is from [sender's address], move it to the Inbox folder."

In the desktop version, go to File > Options > Mail > Rules and Alerts (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences > Rules (Mac), click New Rule, and set the same condition. This ensures their mail bypasses the Junk filter even if Outlook's spam detection tries to send it there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will unblocking someone restore their old emails to my Inbox?

No. Unblocking only affects future emails. Messages already in your Junk folder stay there. You must move them manually if you want to see them. Use the search box to find all messages from that sender at once, then move them in bulk.

Can I unblock a whole domain instead of just one email address?

Yes. If you blocked an entire domain (like @company.com), you can unblock it the same way — find the domain in your Blocked Senders list and remove it. This lets all emails from that domain reach your Inbox again.

What if I unblock someone but their emails still go to Junk?

Check your Inbox Rules, because a manual rule may be filtering them. Go to Settings > Rules (web) or File > Options > Rules (desktop) and look for any rule that mentions that sender or sends mail to Junk. Delete or edit the rule to stop it.

Is there a difference between blocking and creating a rule?

Yes. Blocking sends mail to Junk automatically. A rule can do the same thing, but it can also delete mail, move it to a folder, or explore other actions. Both can filter a sender's mail, so check both places if you cannot find where they are being filtered.