Blocking stops someone from emailing you and hides their messages

When you block a contact in Gmail, their emails go straight to spam and you won't see notifications from them. They can still send messages — they just won't reach your inbox, and you won't know they tried. Blocking is permanent until you unblock them, and it works across Gmail on any device you use.

The block happens on your account, not theirs. The person you block has no way to know you blocked them. If they email you from a different address, that message won't be blocked — you have to block each address separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Open any email from the person you want to block, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [name]" to send all their future messages to spam.
  • Blocked emails go to your spam folder automatically, and you won't get notifications when they arrive.
  • Blocking one email address does not block other addresses the same person might use.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, finding their address in the blocked list, and clicking "Unblock."

How to block someone from an open email

The fastest way to block is from the email itself. Open any message from the person you want to block. In the top right corner of the email, you'll see three vertical dots (the menu button). Click it.

A dropdown menu appears. Look for the option that says "Block [person's name]" — it's usually near the bottom of the menu. Click it. Gmail will ask you to confirm. Click "Block" again in the confirmation box. That's it — all future emails from that address go to spam automatically.

How to block someone from your contact list

If you have the person saved as a contact but haven't received an email from them yet, you can block them from your contacts. Click the "Contacts" button on the left side of Gmail (you may need to scroll down to see it). Find the person's name and click it to open their contact card.

At the top of the contact card, click the three-dot menu. Select "Block [name]." Confirm when Gmail asks. Any future emails from that contact will go to spam.

What happens to emails that are already in your inbox

Blocking only affects new emails going forward. Any messages from that person that are already in your inbox stay there. You can delete them manually if you want them gone, but blocking doesn't remove old messages automatically.

If you want to clean up old emails from someone before blocking them, select all their messages, then click the delete button (trash icon). After you delete them, go ahead and block the address.

How to unblock someone

Open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select "See all settings." Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll down to the section labeled "Blocked addresses." You'll see a list of everyone you've blocked.

Find the person you want to unblock and click "Unblock" next to their name. Confirm when Gmail asks. Their emails will no longer go to spam — they'll arrive in your inbox like normal messages from anyone else.

Blocking doesn't stop someone from seeing your emails

If you block someone, they can still see any emails you sent them before the block. Blocking only stops their messages from reaching you — it doesn't delete anything they already have or prevent them from reading what you wrote.

If you need to prevent someone from seeing sensitive information you've already sent, you'll need to handle that separately. Gmail doesn't have a way to unsend old messages or revoke access to emails that have already been delivered.

When to block versus when to use filters or unsubscribe

Blocking is the right choice when someone is sending you unwanted personal messages or harassment. It's permanent and complete — nothing from that address reaches you.

If you're getting too many emails from a legitimate sender (like a mailing list or service you signed up for), unsubscribing is usually better than blocking. Look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of their emails. If you can't find one, you can create a filter instead to automatically delete or skip their messages without blocking them entirely. Filters let you stay in control without completely cutting off communication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

No. When you block someone, they have no way to know. Their emails just go to spam on your end. They won't get a notification, and there's no way for them to check whether you blocked them.

What if the person emails me from a different address?

Blocking works on a per-address basis. If someone you blocked emails you from a new address, that message won't be blocked automatically. You'll need to block each address separately. If this is happening repeatedly, consider using a filter to catch emails from multiple addresses at once.

Can I block someone on Gmail mobile?

Yes. Open the email from the person you want to block, tap the three-dot menu at the top, and select "Block [name]." The process is the same on the Gmail app for iPhone or Android as it is on a computer.

Will blocking someone delete their old emails from my inbox?

No. Blocking only stops new emails from reaching you. Old messages stay in your inbox unless you delete them manually. You can select and delete their old emails before or after blocking them.

Can I block an entire domain or company?

Gmail doesn't have a built-in block-by-domain feature. You have to block individual email addresses. If you're getting spam from many addresses at the same company, creating a filter that catches emails from that domain is faster than blocking each address one by one.