You can block a sender in Gmail in three clicks, and their messages go straight to spam
Open any email from the person you want to block. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the message. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown. Gmail will send all future messages from that address to your spam folder automatically.
If you have already deleted the message, you can still block the sender. Go to your spam folder, find an email from them, open it, and use the same three-dot menu to block. You can also block someone by right-clicking their name or email address in your inbox and selecting the block option from the context menu.
Blocked senders cannot tell they have been blocked. Their emails simply disappear into your spam folder, and you will not see notifications. If you change your mind, you can unblock them at any time through your Gmail settings.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking a sender takes three clicks: open their email, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender's name]".
- Blocked messages go to spam automatically, and the sender receives no notification that they have been blocked.
- You can block someone even if you have already deleted their message by opening it from your spam folder first.
- Unblocking a sender is reversible through Gmail settings if you decide to receive their messages again.
- Blocking works on individual email addresses, so a sender using a different address will not be blocked automatically.
Where to find the block option in Gmail
The block button appears in the same menu as other message actions. When you open an email, look for the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top right corner of the message itself, not the top of your browser. Click it to reveal a dropdown menu with options including "Block [sender's name]".
On mobile devices, the three-dot menu appears in the same location. Tap it and scroll down to find the block option. The process is identical on Gmail's mobile app for both Android and iPhone.
If you want to block someone without opening their message, you can also right-click their name or email address in your inbox list. A context menu will appear with the block option available. This method works on desktop Gmail but not on mobile.
What happens when you block someone
All emails from a blocked sender go directly to your spam folder. You will not see them in your inbox, and Gmail will not send you notifications about their messages. The blocked sender's address is added to your personal blocklist, which you can view and edit in your Gmail settings under "Filters and Blocked Addresses".
Blocking is permanent until you undo it. The sender will not know they have been blocked, and they will not receive a bounce-back message or any other notification. From their perspective, their emails are simply being delivered normally.
If a blocked sender uses a different email address, that new address will not be blocked automatically. Each email address must be blocked separately. This means someone determined to contact you could switch to a new email account and bypass the block.
How to unblock a sender
Go to your Gmail settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right corner of your inbox. Select "See all settings", then click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section, which lists everyone you have blocked.
Find the person you want to unblock and click the "Unblock" link next to their email address. Their messages will no longer go to spam automatically. If they have sent you emails while blocked, those messages will remain in your spam folder, but new messages will arrive in your inbox.
You can unblock and re-block the same person as many times as you need. There is no limit to how many times you can change your blocklist.
Blocking versus other Gmail filtering options
Blocking is the simplest way to stop seeing someone's emails, but Gmail offers other tools depending on what you need. If you want to receive messages from someone but keep them out of your inbox, you can create a filter that automatically sends their emails to a specific label or folder instead of blocking them entirely.
Filters give you more control than blocking. You can set up a filter to automatically delete messages, mark them as read, or send them to a specific folder. You can also create filters based on keywords, subject lines, or sender domains rather than just individual email addresses.
If you want to stop notifications from someone without blocking them completely, you can mute their conversation. Muting hides their messages from your inbox but keeps them in your email history. You can unmute at any time. Blocking is permanent until you unblock, while muting is temporary and conversation-specific.
Blocking group emails and mailing lists
Blocking works on individual email addresses, so if someone sends you a message from a group email or mailing list, blocking that group address will not block the individual person. You would need to block their personal email address instead.
If you want to stop receiving emails from a mailing list entirely, blocking the list address is effective. However, if the list sends from multiple addresses or if members send individual messages, you may need to block multiple addresses or use a filter instead.
For work or organization mailing lists you want to leave, unsubscribing is usually a better option than blocking. Look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email. If you cannot find one, you can create a filter to send those emails to a folder automatically.
Blocking does not stop someone from seeing your emails
Blocking someone in Gmail only affects what you receive from them. It does not prevent them from reading emails you have already sent, and it does not stop you from sending them messages in the future. If you send an email to a blocked address, it will be delivered normally.
If you want to prevent someone from contacting you and you do not want to send them messages either, blocking is still the right tool. But understand that it is one-directional. They can still email you (their messages just go to spam), and you can still email them if you choose to.
If you are concerned about someone harassing you through email, blocking is a first step, but it may not be enough. Consider reporting the messages as spam or phishing, saving copies of threatening emails, and contacting your email provider's support team if the behavior continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block an entire email domain instead of just one person?
Gmail's block feature works only on individual email addresses, not entire domains. To block all emails from a domain, you need to create a filter. Go to Settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses", then "Create a new filter". Enter the domain (for example, @spammer.com) in the "From" field, and select "Delete" or "Skip the inbox" to handle all messages from that domain.
What if someone creates a new email address after I block them?
Blocking only affects the specific email address you blocked. If the person uses a different email address, that address will not be blocked automatically, and their messages will arrive in your inbox normally. You can block the new address the same way you blocked the first one. If this becomes a pattern, consider creating a filter based on keywords in the subject line or message content instead.
Will blocking someone affect emails I have already received from them?
No. Blocking only affects future emails. Messages you have already received will stay in your inbox or wherever you have filed them. If you want to remove old messages from someone, you can search for their email address and delete those messages manually, or create a filter to delete future messages from them.
Can I block someone on Gmail if they use a different email service like Outlook or Yahoo?
Yes. Gmail's block feature works on any email address, regardless of which email service the sender uses. You can block someone with an Outlook address, Yahoo address, or any other email provider the same way you would block another Gmail user.
Does blocking someone in Gmail also block them on other Google services?
No. Blocking in Gmail only affects your Gmail inbox. It does not block them from contacting you through Google Meet, Google Chat, YouTube, or other Google services. Those services have their own separate blocking and privacy settings that you would need to adjust independently.