Block an email address in Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail
You can block an email address in almost every email service. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, or another provider, but the result is the same: messages from that sender go straight to spam or a blocked folder, and you won't see notifications.
The fastest way is to open an email from the person you want to block, find the block or report option (usually a three-dot menu or downward arrow), and select it. The email service then adds that address to your blocked list. Future emails from that sender won't reach your inbox.
If you've already deleted the email, you can still block the address by going to your email settings and manually entering the sender's address into a blocked list or filter. This takes a few more steps but works just as well.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all have built-in block features accessible from the email itself or from settings.
- Blocking an address sends future emails to spam automatically — the sender won't know they're blocked.
- If you block someone by mistake, you can unblock them in your email settings at any time.
- Blocking one email address does not block similar addresses, so someone can create a new account and contact you again.
- For persistent unwanted mail, combine blocking with spam filters or rules that automatically delete or sort messages.
How to block in Gmail
Open any email from the sender you want to block. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right of the email. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the dropdown menu. Gmail will move that email and all future ones from that address to your spam folder.
If you want to block an address without opening an email from them, go to Gmail Settings (click the gear icon, then "See all settings"). Select the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll to the bottom and click "Create a new filter." Type the email address in the "From" field, then click "Create filter." Check the box next to "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox (Archive it)" and click "Create filter." This sends all future emails from that address directly to spam or archive without reaching your inbox.
To unblock someone in Gmail, go back to Settings, select "Filters and Blocked Addresses," find the filter you created, and click the delete icon (trash can) next to it.
How to block in Outlook
Open an email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots menu at the top of the email. Select "Block" or "Junk" depending on your Outlook version, then confirm. Outlook moves that sender to your Junk folder and filters future emails from them there automatically.
If you're using Outlook on the web, you can also go to Settings (the gear icon) and select "View all Outlook settings." Click "Mail," then "Junk email." Under "Safe Senders and Domains," you'll see a "Blocked Senders" section where you can manually add email addresses. Type the address and click the plus icon to add it to your blocked list.
To unblock in Outlook, go to Settings, find the blocked sender in your Junk email settings, and remove them from the list.
How to block in Apple Mail
On an iPhone or iPad, open an email from the sender you want to block. Tap "Report Junk" at the bottom of the email, or tap the flag icon and select "Mark as Junk." Apple Mail then filters future emails from that address to your Junk folder.
On a Mac, right-click an email from the sender and select "Mark as Junk" or "Junk." You can also click the flag icon in the toolbar and choose the junk option. Apple Mail learns from your choices and automatically sends future emails from that sender to junk.
Apple Mail does not have a traditional "blocked senders" list like Gmail or Outlook. Instead, it relies on marking emails as junk to train the filter. If you want more control, you can create a rule: go to Mail menu, select "Preferences," click "Rules," and create a rule that sends emails from a specific address to a folder or deletes them.
What happens when you block someone
When you block an email address, the sender does not receive a notification that they've been blocked. Their emails simply don't reach your inbox — they go to spam, junk, or a blocked folder depending on your email service. The sender may never know you blocked them unless you tell them.
Blocking is one-way. The blocked person can still see your emails if they have your address from before, but you won't see their replies. If they send you a message, it won't show up in your inbox, so you won't know they tried to contact you.
Blocking one specific email address does not block similar addresses. If someone creates a new email account, they can contact you again from that new address. If you're dealing with persistent unwanted mail from multiple addresses, you may need to set up a filter rule instead of blocking individual addresses.
When to block versus when to use filters
Block an individual email address when you want to stop hearing from one specific person and you don't expect them to contact you from other addresses. Blocking is quick and requires no setup.
Use a filter or rule when you're receiving unwanted mail from multiple addresses, from a domain (like all emails ending in @example.com), or when you want to sort incoming mail into folders rather than delete it. Filters give you more control over what happens to the email — you can delete it, move it to a folder, or mark it as read automatically.
For example, if a company keeps emailing you from different addresses, create a filter that catches emails containing their company name in the subject line or sender field. If one person is harassing you from multiple accounts, blocking each address individually is tedious — a filter rule is faster.
How to unblock an email address
In Gmail, go to Settings, select "Filters and Blocked Addresses," find the blocked address, and click the delete icon next to it. In Outlook, go to Settings, find "Junk email," locate the address in "Blocked Senders," and remove it. In Apple Mail on Mac, go to Mail menu, select "Preferences," click "Rules," find the rule you created, and delete it.
On iPhone or iPad with Apple Mail, there is no direct way to unblock — you blocked by marking as junk, so the address isn't on a list. If you want to receive emails from that sender again, you'll need to create a rule on your Mac or use a different email service's web interface.
Unblocking takes less than a minute and restores the sender to your normal inbox. You'll start seeing their emails again immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I blocked them?
No. When you block an email address, the sender receives no notification. Their emails simply don't arrive in your inbox. They won't know you blocked them unless you tell them or they notice you stop responding to their messages.
What's the difference between blocking and marking as spam?
Blocking adds a sender to your blocked list so all future emails from them go to spam automatically. Marking one email as spam teaches your email service that similar messages are unwanted, but doesn't necessarily block the sender. Blocking is more direct and permanent.
If I block someone, can they still see my old emails?
Yes. Blocking only affects new emails going forward. If the person already has your old messages in their inbox, they can still read them. Blocking does not delete your past correspondence from their account.
Can I block an entire domain instead of one email address?
Most email services don't have a one-click option to block an entire domain, but you can create a filter rule that catches all emails from addresses ending in that domain. In Gmail, create a filter with "from:@example.com" in the From field. In Outlook, use a rule with the domain name. This is more effective than blocking individual addresses if you're receiving mail from many people at the same organization.
What if someone creates a new email address and contacts me again?
You'll see their new email in your inbox because it's a different address than the one you blocked. You can block the new address the same way you blocked the first one. If this keeps happening, consider creating a filter based on the person's name or a keyword in the subject line instead of blocking individual addresses.