Find and unblock the sender in your blocked list

Gmail stores all your blocked senders in one place. Open Gmail, click the gear icon in the top right, then select See all settings. Go to the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. You will see a list of every email address you have blocked — scroll through it to find the sender you want to unblock.

Next to each blocked address is an Unblock button. Click it, and Gmail will remove that address from your blocked list when ready. The sender can now reach your inbox again, and their future emails will arrive normally instead of going to spam or being rejected.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders are listed in Settings under Filters and Blocked Addresses, where you can unblock them one at a time.
  • Unblocking a sender does not retrieve their old emails — those remain in spam or deleted folders unless you move them manually.
  • If you unblock someone by mistake, you can block them again using the same settings page.
  • Unblocking takes effect when ready, and the sender's next email will arrive in your inbox like any other message.

What happens to old emails from that sender

Unblocking an address does not bring back emails that were already blocked. Those messages stay wherever they went when you blocked the sender — usually your spam folder or trash, depending on how Gmail handled them. If you want to read those old emails, you will need to find them manually.

Go to your spam folder or trash and search for the sender's address. When you find their emails, you can move them back to your inbox or another folder. After that, any new emails from them will arrive normally since you have unblocked them.

Unblocking someone you blocked by mistake

If you blocked someone and did not mean to, the unblock process is the same. Return to Settings, go to Filters and Blocked Addresses, find the address, and click Unblock. There is no confirmation step, so the block is removed right away.

If you realize you blocked the wrong person — for example, you meant to block a similar address — unblock the wrong one first, then block the correct address if you still need to. Gmail lets you block as many addresses as you want, so you can adjust your list at any time.

Blocking and unblocking on mobile

The Gmail app on your phone or tablet does not have a settings page where you can see your full blocked list. Instead, you unblock senders one at a time as you encounter their emails. Open an email from someone you blocked, tap the three dots menu, and select Unblock [sender name].

If you want to see all your blocked addresses at once, you will need to use Gmail on a computer or web browser. The mobile app only shows you blocked senders when you open their emails, so the desktop settings page is the fastest way to manage your entire blocked list.

Why an unblocked sender might still not reach your inbox

Unblocking an address removes only the block you created manually. Gmail's spam filter works separately and may still catch emails from that sender if they look suspicious. If someone says their emails are not arriving even after you unblock them, ask them to check their own spam folder first — the problem might be on their end.

You can also create a filter to make sure unblocked senders always reach your inbox. In Filters and Blocked Addresses, click Create a new filter, enter the sender's address, and choose Never send it to spam. This tells Gmail to treat that sender as trusted, even if their email looks unusual.

Unblocking a domain instead of a single address

If you blocked someone's entire company domain — for example, @company.com instead of a specific person — you will see the domain listed in your blocked addresses. Unblock it the same way: go to Settings, find the domain in your blocked list, and click Unblock.

Blocking a whole domain is rare because it stops all emails from that company, including ones you might want. If you did this by mistake, unblocking it restores email from everyone at that organization. If you only want to block one person there, unblock the domain, then create a filter to block just that person's individual address instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unblock someone without going to settings?

On a computer, you can unblock someone by opening their email and clicking the three dots menu, then selecting Unblock [sender name]. On mobile, this is the only way to unblock — you cannot see your full blocked list in the app.

Does unblocking someone delete my block filter?

Unblocking removes the block, but if you created a filter that sends their emails to spam or trash, that filter stays active. You will need to delete the filter separately in the Filters and Blocked Addresses settings if you want their emails to arrive normally.

What if I unblock someone and then want to block them again?

You can block them again at any time using the same method — open their email, click the three dots, and select Block [sender name]. There is no limit to how many times you can block and unblock the same address.

Will the sender know I unblocked them?

No. Unblocking is invisible to the sender. They will not receive any notification, and they have no way to know whether you have blocked or unblocked them. They will only know if their emails start arriving in your inbox instead of bouncing back.