How to block an email address depends on which service you use

Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have built-in blocking features, but the steps differ slightly for each one. On Gmail, you open the email, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender]". On Outlook, you right-click the sender's name and choose "Block". Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail have similar options in their menus. Once you block someone, their emails go straight to spam and you won't see notifications from them.

Blocking is different from unsubscribing. When you unsubscribe, you're asking a legitimate business to remove you from their mailing list. When you block, you're telling your email service to filter out all messages from that specific address. Blocking works even if the sender keeps trying to reach you.

The block applies only to your account, not across the entire email service. If someone you've blocked sends a message to your work email or a different personal account, you'll still receive it there.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail users can block a sender by opening their email, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting "Block [sender]".
  • Outlook users right-click the sender's name and choose "Block" from the dropdown menu.
  • Blocked emails go to your spam folder automatically, and you won't receive notifications from that sender.
  • Blocking only affects your account and doesn't prevent the sender from emailing other addresses you own.
  • If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them by going to your blocked senders list in settings.

Blocking email on Gmail

Open the email from the person you want to block. At the top right of the message, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Click "Block [sender's name]".

Gmail will ask you to confirm. Click "Block" again. From that point on, all emails from that address will skip your inbox and go directly to spam. You can still see them if you open your spam folder, but Gmail won't notify you when they arrive.

To unblock someone on Gmail, go to Settings, then Filters and Blocked Addresses. Scroll to the bottom of the page where it says "Blocked addresses" and find the person you want to unblock. Click the X next to their name.

Blocking email on Outlook

Open the email from the sender you want to block. Right-click on their name or email address. A context menu will pop up. Select "Block" or "Block Sender" (the exact wording depends on whether you're using Outlook.com, the Outlook desktop app, or Outlook on the web).

Outlook will move that email to your Junk folder and add the sender to your blocked list. Future emails from that address will go straight to Junk. You won't see them in your inbox or get notifications.

To unblock someone in Outlook, go to Settings, then Mail, then Junk Email. Click "Blocked Senders" and you'll see a list of everyone you've blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click the X or delete button next to their name.

Blocking email on Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail

On Yahoo Mail, open the email and click the three-dot menu at the top right. Select "Block Sender". Yahoo will move the email to spam and add that address to your blocked list.

On Apple Mail (the built-in email app on Mac, iPhone, and iPad), open the email and look for the sender's name at the top. Tap or click on it, then select "Block This Contact". Apple Mail will send future emails from that person to your spam folder.

Both services let you unblock senders through their settings. On Yahoo, go to Account Info, then Security and Privacy, then Blocked Users. On Apple Mail, go to Mail settings, then Junk Mail, and look for your blocked contacts list.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block an email address, that sender won't know you've blocked them. They won't receive a notification or bounce-back message. From their perspective, they're sending emails normally. On your end, those emails simply won't appear in your inbox.

Blocked emails still exist on the sender's server — you're not deleting their messages. You're just telling your email service to filter them out before they reach you. If you change your mind and unblock someone, you may see old emails from them in your spam folder that arrived while they were blocked.

If someone creates a new email address and sends you a message from it, that new address won't be blocked. Blocking is tied to a specific email address, not to a person. If harassment continues from new addresses, you may want to report the emails as spam or contact your email provider's support team.

When to block versus when to report as spam

Blocking is best for people you know personally — an ex, a coworker you don't want to hear from, or someone who keeps emailing you after you've asked them to stop. Reporting as spam is better for unsolicited bulk emails, phishing attempts, or messages from unknown senders trying to scam you.

Most email services let you do both. You can report an email as spam (which helps train the service's filters to catch similar messages) and also block the sender. Reporting helps protect other users by flagging malicious or unwanted patterns. Blocking just protects you.

If you're receiving threatening or harassing emails, blocking alone may not be enough. Save the emails as evidence and consider reporting the behavior to local law enforcement or to your email provider's abuse team.

Blocking email on mobile apps

The steps are similar on mobile, but the interface looks different. On Gmail's mobile app, open the email, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, and select "Block [sender]". On Outlook's mobile app, swipe left on the email (on iPhone) or long-press it (on Android), then tap the block icon.

On Yahoo Mail's mobile app, swipe left on the email and tap "Block". On Apple Mail on iPhone or iPad, open the email, tap the sender's name, and select "Block This Contact".

Mobile apps sometimes hide the blocking option in different places than the desktop version, so if you can't find it immediately, look for a menu icon (three dots or three lines) near the sender's name or at the top of the email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block an email address if I've already deleted the email?

Yes. Go to your email service's settings and find the blocked senders or blocked addresses section. Most services let you manually type in an email address to block, even if you don't have an email from them open. Check your service's help documentation for the exact location of this setting.

What's the difference between blocking and muting a conversation?

Muting stops notifications from a specific email thread but doesn't block the sender. You can still see muted emails if you search for them or scroll through your inbox. Blocking removes all emails from that sender to your spam folder. Muting is useful for group conversations you want to follow later without constant alerts.

If I block someone, can they see that I've read their emails?

No. Once you block someone, their emails go to spam and you won't interact with them in a way that sends read receipts or other signals back to them. They have no way to know whether you've blocked them or simply aren't responding.

Can I block an entire domain instead of just one email address?

Most consumer email services don't have a built-in feature to block entire domains, but you can create filters or rules to automatically send emails from a domain to spam. In Gmail, you can use the filter feature to catch emails from a specific domain. In Outlook, you can create a rule. Check your service's filter or rules settings for instructions.

What if I accidentally block someone I didn't mean to?

You can unblock them anytime through your email settings. Go to your blocked senders or blocked addresses list, find the person's name, and click the option to unblock or remove them. Once unblocked, their emails will start appearing in your inbox again, though old emails sent while they were blocked may still be in your spam folder.