Block a sender in three steps

To block an email sender in Outlook, open the message from that person, then click the three dots (more actions menu) at the top right of the email. Select Block from the dropdown menu. Outlook will move that sender's future emails to your Junk folder automatically.

If you are using Outlook on the web, the process is the same: open the message, click the three dots, and choose Block. The sender will be added to your blocked list immediately, and you will not see their messages in your inbox again.

Once you block someone, Outlook stores them on your blocked senders list. You can view and manage this list anytime by going to Settings (the gear icon), then View all Outlook settings, then Mail, then Junk email. Your blocked senders appear under the Blocked senders tab.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block a sender directly from any email they sent you by clicking the three dots menu and selecting Block.
  • Blocked senders' emails go to your Junk folder, not deleted, so you can review them later if needed.
  • You can unblock a sender anytime through Settings > Junk email > Blocked senders.
  • Blocking works across all your devices when you use Outlook on the web or the Outlook app.
  • If someone uses multiple email addresses, you may need to block each address separately.

Where blocked emails go

When you block a sender, their emails do not disappear — they go to your Junk folder instead. This means you can still find them if you need to, but they will not clutter your inbox or send you notifications.

Check your Junk folder occasionally to make sure legitimate emails have not been caught by mistake. If you see an email from someone you actually want to hear from, you can move it back to your inbox and remove them from your blocked list.

Add someone to your blocked list without opening their email

You do not have to open a message to block the sender. In your inbox, right-click on any email from the person you want to block, then select Block from the context menu. This works the same way as blocking from inside the message.

If you are using Outlook on a phone or tablet, press and hold the email, then tap Block when the menu appears. The sender will be added to your blocked list immediately.

Unblock a sender if you change your mind

To unblock someone, go to Settings (gear icon), then View all Outlook settings, then Mail, then Junk email. Click the Blocked senders tab to see your full list.

Find the sender you want to unblock and click the X next to their name. They will be removed from your blocked list, and their emails will go to your inbox again instead of Junk. You will start receiving their messages normally.

Block email addresses that look like they are from your bank or company

Scammers often use email addresses that look almost identical to legitimate ones — for example, using the number 1 instead of the letter l. If you receive a suspicious email that claims to be from your bank, PayPal, or your employer, block it immediately.

Do not click any links in these emails, and do not reply. If you are unsure whether an email is real, contact the company directly using a phone number or website you know is legitimate. Then block the suspicious message.

Outlook's junk filter catches many of these automatically, but blocking the sender adds an extra layer of protection. If the same scammer keeps using different email addresses, you may need to block each one separately.

Use rules to automatically sort or delete emails from specific senders

Blocking sends emails to Junk, but if you want more control, you can create a rule. Go to Settings, then View all Outlook settings, then Mail, then Rules. Click Add new rule to set up automatic actions for emails from a specific sender.

You can tell Outlook to move emails from that sender to a specific folder, mark them as read automatically, or delete them entirely. Rules are useful if you want to keep emails from someone but organize them away from your main inbox, or if you want to delete them without sending them to Junk first.

Rules apply to new emails only — they do not affect messages you have already received. If you want to clean up old emails from a sender, you will need to delete or move them manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a blocked sender tell that I blocked them?

No. When you block someone, they will not receive any notification. Their emails will simply go to your Junk folder, and they have no way of knowing you blocked them. They may wonder why you are not responding, but Outlook does not alert them.

What happens if I block someone by mistake?

Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders, find their name, and click the X next to it. They will be unblocked immediately, and their future emails will go to your inbox again. Any emails already in your Junk folder will stay there unless you move them manually.

If someone uses multiple email addresses, do I have to block each one?

Yes. Blocking works on a per-address basis, so if a sender uses five different email addresses, you will need to block each one separately. If you notice a pattern, creating a rule based on the sender's name or domain might be faster than blocking individual addresses.

Does blocking someone on Outlook block them on other Microsoft services?

No. Blocking in Outlook only affects your email. It does not block them from Teams, OneDrive, or other Microsoft services. If you need to block someone across multiple services, you will need to adjust settings in each one separately.

Can I block an entire domain or company?

Blocking works on individual email addresses only, not entire domains. If you want to block all emails from a company domain, create a rule instead. Go to Rules, add a new rule, and set it to match emails where the sender's address contains the domain name, then delete or move them automatically.