The fastest way to block an email sender
Most email services let you block a sender in one or two clicks. Open the unwanted email, look for a menu button (usually three dots or lines in the top right), and select "Block" or "Block sender". The sender's future emails go straight to spam or a blocked folder, and you won't see notifications from them.
Where the block button lives depends on which email service you use. Gmail puts it in the message menu. Outlook has it under "Junk" at the top. Yahoo Mail shows it as "Block" in the sender details. Once you block someone, they won't know it happened — the email just disappears from your inbox.
If you can't find a block option in your email's main menu, check the spam folder. Open an unwanted message there, and you'll usually see a "Block sender" or "Not spam" option. Blocking from spam is just as effective as blocking from your inbox.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking a sender takes seconds: open the email, find the menu button, and select "Block" or "Block sender".
- Blocked emails go to spam or a blocked folder automatically, and the sender receives no notification.
- You can block email addresses, entire domains (like all mail from a company), or unsubscribe from mailing lists depending on the service.
- If blocking doesn't work, mark the email as spam or phishing to train your email filter to catch similar messages.
- Some senders use different email addresses to get around blocks, so you may need to block multiple addresses from the same person or organization.
Blocking in Gmail
Open the email you want to block. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the message. Select "Block [sender name]" from the dropdown. Gmail moves all future emails from that address to spam automatically.
If you want to block an entire domain instead of just one address — for example, all emails from anyone at a company — you'll need to do this through Gmail settings. Go to Settings, click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab, and create a new filter with the domain name (like @companyname.com). Set it to skip the inbox and go to spam.
Gmail also lets you unsubscribe from mailing lists without blocking. If the email is a newsletter or promotional message, look for an "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom. Clicking it removes you from that list, though it's slower than blocking and relies on the sender honoring the request.
Blocking in Outlook and Hotmail
Open the unwanted email. Click "Junk" at the top of the message, then select "Block Sender". Outlook moves that sender to your blocked list, and their emails go to the Junk folder from then on.
To see all your blocked senders in Outlook, go to Settings, select "Mail", then "Junk email". You'll see a list of blocked addresses and can add more manually or remove someone if you change your mind. You can also block entire domains here by typing the domain name instead of a single address.
Outlook's block feature works across all your devices if you use the same account. If you block someone on your phone, they're blocked on your computer too.
Blocking in Yahoo Mail
Open the email from the sender you want to block. Click the three-dot menu next to the sender's name. Select "Block". Yahoo Mail sends that sender's future emails to spam.
You can also block a sender by opening their email and clicking "Block" in the sender details panel on the right side of the screen. To manage your blocked list, go to Account Info, select "Security", then "Blocked addresses". From there you can add addresses manually or remove blocks.
What happens when you block someone
Blocked emails don't disappear — they go to a spam or blocked folder where you can still see them if you need to. You won't get notifications when a blocked sender emails you. If you change your mind, you can unblock the address and their emails will return to your inbox normally.
The sender has no way to know they've been blocked. Their email goes through normally on their end; it just lands in your spam folder instead of your inbox. If they're trying to reach you and you're not responding, they might not realize why.
Some people use multiple email addresses or create new accounts to get around blocks. If you keep getting emails from different addresses that seem to be from the same person or organization, you may need to block each address separately or report the messages as phishing.
Blocking vs. unsubscribing vs. marking as spam
Blocking, unsubscribing, and marking as spam are three different actions. Blocking stops all future emails from one address. Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list — it works only if the sender honors the request and is usually found at the bottom of newsletters. Marking as spam trains your email filter to catch similar messages in the future but doesn't stop the sender from emailing you.
Use blocking for people you don't want to hear from at all. Use unsubscribe for legitimate mailing lists and newsletters you no longer want. Use spam marking for obvious junk, phishing attempts, or scams. Many people do all three: unsubscribe first, then block if emails keep coming, and mark as spam if the unsubscribe doesn't work.
If you're getting a lot of unwanted email from the same domain, blocking the entire domain is faster than blocking individual addresses. Most email services let you do this in settings without opening each message.
When blocking doesn't work
Sometimes blocked emails still appear in your inbox. This usually means the sender is using a different email address each time. Check the sender's address carefully — it might look similar to the one you blocked but have a slight difference (like adding a number or changing one letter).
If the same person or organization keeps emailing from new addresses, mark their messages as phishing or spam instead of just blocking. This trains your email filter to recognize and catch similar messages automatically. Most email services improve their spam detection when you mark messages as phishing.
If blocking still isn't working after you've tried multiple addresses, contact your email provider's support team. They can investigate whether the sender is spoofing addresses (faking the sender information) or using a compromised account to send mail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?
No. Their email goes through normally on their end and lands in your spam or blocked folder. They won't receive a notification, and there's no way for them to know unless you tell them. If they're trying to reach you and you don't respond, they might suspect something, but they can't confirm it through email.
What if I block someone by mistake?
You can unblock them. Go to your email settings, find the blocked addresses or blocked senders list, and remove the address. Their future emails will go back to your inbox normally. Past emails from when they were blocked may still be in your spam folder, so you might need to check there.
Can I block an entire company or domain?
Yes, most email services let you block by domain. Instead of blocking one address like john@company.com, you can block all mail from @company.com. This is done through your email settings rather than by blocking individual messages. Be careful with this option — you might miss important emails if someone from that company needs to reach you.
Does blocking work on my phone and computer?
If you use the same email account on both devices, blocks sync automatically. A sender you block on your phone is blocked on your computer too. This works for Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and most other services. If you use different email apps or accounts, you may need to block separately in each one.
What should I do if I'm getting harassed or threatened by email?
Block the sender first, then report the message to your email provider. Most services have a "Report phishing" or "Report abuse" option. Save copies of the threatening emails before you delete them. If the harassment continues from new addresses or escalates, contact local law enforcement — email harassment and threats are crimes in most places.