Blocking someone stops their messages from reaching your inbox

When you block a sender, their emails go straight to spam or a blocked folder instead of your inbox — you won't see notifications, and in most cases you won't see the messages at all. The blocked person doesn't get a notification that you've blocked them. Blocking is different from unsubscribing: unsubscribe removes you from a mailing list, while blocking prevents one specific person from contacting you.

The steps to block someone depend on which email service you use. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have block features, but they work slightly differently. This guide covers the most common email providers and shows you exactly where to find the block button.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender sends their future emails to spam or a blocked folder so you won't see them in your inbox.
  • Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail all have built-in block features you can access from any email message.
  • Blocking someone does not delete their past emails — you can still find old messages if you search for them.
  • If someone uses multiple email addresses, you may need to block each address separately.

How to block someone in Gmail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the email. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Click "Block [sender's name]" from that menu. Gmail will ask you to confirm — click "Block" again. From that moment on, any email from that address goes to your spam folder automatically. You won't see a notification when they send you something.

If you want to unblock them later, go to your Gmail settings, click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab, find their name in the blocked list, and click "Unblock" next to it.

How to block someone in Outlook

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more actions menu) at the top of the email. Select "Block" from the menu that appears.

Outlook will move that sender's emails to your Junk folder and won't show you notifications from them. If you use Outlook on the web, the steps are the same. If you use Outlook as a desktop application on Windows or Mac, right-click the sender's name and select "Block Sender" instead.

To unblock someone in Outlook, go to Settings, find "Junk email," and look for the "Blocked Senders" list. Click the X next to their name to remove them from the blocked list.

How to block someone in Yahoo Mail

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots menu at the top of the email. Select "Block sender" from the options.

Yahoo Mail will send their future emails to your spam folder. You can also block someone by hovering over their name or email address in any message and clicking the block icon that appears.

To see your blocked senders list in Yahoo Mail, click the gear icon for settings, go to "Blocked addresses," and you'll see everyone you've blocked. Click the X next to any name to unblock them.

How to block someone in Apple Mail

If you use Apple Mail on a Mac, open the email from the person you want to block. Click "Mail" in the top menu, then select "Block Sender." The sender's future emails will go to your junk folder.

On iPhone or iPad, open the email, tap "Report Junk" at the bottom of the screen, then tap "Block This Contact." This blocks the sender and marks the current email as junk.

To unblock someone on Mac, go to Mail preferences, click the "Junk Mail" tab, and look for the blocked senders list. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, find Mail, scroll to "Blocked," and tap "Edit" to remove someone from the list.

What happens to old emails after you block someone

Blocking someone does not delete their past emails. Messages they already sent you stay in your inbox or other folders where you filed them. You can still search for and read old emails from a blocked sender if you need to.

If you want to delete their old messages, you'll need to do that separately. Search for their name or email address, select the messages you want to remove, and delete them. Blocking only stops new messages from reaching your inbox.

What to do if someone uses multiple email addresses

If the person you're blocking has sent you emails from more than one address, you'll need to block each address separately. Block the first address using the steps above, then repeat the process for any other addresses they've used.

Some email services let you block an entire domain (like blocking everyone at a company), but this is usually only available in advanced settings. If you need to block a whole domain, check your email provider's help documentation or contact their support team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. When you block someone, they don't receive a notification. Their emails simply don't reach your inbox — they may assume you're not responding, but they won't know for certain that you've blocked them.

What if I block someone by mistake?

You can unblock them at any time by going to your email settings and finding the blocked senders list. The process takes less than a minute. Once you unblock them, their emails will start reaching your inbox again.

Does blocking someone on email block them from other services?

No. Blocking someone in Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo Mail only affects that email service. It does not block them on social media, messaging apps, or other platforms. You would need to block them separately on each service.

Can I block emails by subject line or content instead of by sender?

Blocking works by sender address, not by subject line. If you want to filter emails by content, use your email provider's filter or rule feature instead. This lets you automatically send certain types of messages to spam based on keywords or phrases.

What if someone keeps emailing me from new addresses after I block them?

If someone repeatedly creates new email addresses to contact you after being blocked, that may be harassment. Report the behavior to your email provider and consider reporting it to local authorities if the messages are threatening or abusive.