Block a sender in Outlook desktop and web

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're using Outlook on the web, the process is the same: open the message, click the three dots, and choose "Block". You can also right-click on a sender's name in your inbox and select "Block" directly without opening their message.

Once you block someone, you won't see notifications for their emails, and they'll go straight to Junk. You can unblock them later by going to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders, finding their address, and clicking the trash icon next to their name.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked senders' emails go to your Junk folder, and you won't receive notifications about them.
  • You can block a sender by opening their email, clicking the three dots menu, and selecting "Block".
  • Blocking works across all your Outlook devices and accounts because the setting syncs to Microsoft's servers.
  • You can unblock someone at any time through Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders.
  • Blocking a sender is different from unsubscribing; blocking stops all mail, while unsubscribe only works for mailing lists.

The difference between blocking and unsubscribing

Blocking and unsubscribing do different things, and which one you use depends on what kind of email you're getting. When you block someone, all their emails go to Junk, whether they're personal messages or marketing emails. When you unsubscribe, you're asking a mailing list to remove your address from their sender list — this works only for legitimate marketing emails that include an unsubscribe link.

If you're getting unwanted emails from a person or a sender without an unsubscribe option, blocking is the right choice. If you're getting marketing emails from a company you used to do business with and want to stop, look for the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email first. If there's no unsubscribe link or it doesn't work, then block the sender.

Block multiple senders at once

Outlook doesn't have a built-in feature to block many senders in one action, but you can block them quickly one at a time. Open your Junk folder, find emails from senders you want to block, and click the three dots on each message to select "Block". Repeat for each sender.

If you're dealing with a large volume of unwanted email from many different addresses, consider using Outlook's rules feature instead. Go to Settings > Mail > Rules, then create a rule that automatically moves emails matching certain words or sender patterns to Junk. This is faster than blocking individual addresses when the spam is coming from many similar sources.

What happens after you block someone

When you block a sender, their emails stop appearing in your inbox immediately. Any new messages from that address go to your Junk folder, and Outlook won't send you notifications about them. If you have Outlook set to show a notification count on your taskbar or phone, blocked emails won't be included in that count.

The person you blocked won't know they're blocked — Outlook doesn't send them a notification, and their emails will appear to send normally from their perspective. They may eventually realize something is wrong if you never respond, but there's no automatic message telling them they've been blocked.

Recover emails from a blocked sender

If you blocked someone by mistake and want to read their old emails, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders, find their address, and click the trash icon to unblock them. Their old emails will still be in your Junk folder where they were moved when you blocked them.

After you unblock them, their future emails will go to your inbox again like normal. If you want to keep them unblocked but don't want to see their emails in your inbox, consider creating a rule instead that moves their messages to a specific folder automatically.

Block senders on Outlook mobile apps

On the Outlook mobile app for iPhone or Android, open an email from the sender you want to block. Tap the three dots at the top right of the message, then select "Block". The process is the same as on desktop and web — their future emails go to Junk and you won't get notifications.

To unblock someone on mobile, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders, swipe left on their name (iPhone) or long-press their name (Android), then select delete or unblock. Your blocked senders list syncs across all your devices, so if you block someone on your phone, they're blocked on your desktop too.

When blocking isn't enough

Blocking works well for individual senders, but if you're getting spam from many different addresses or from addresses that change frequently, blocking each one individually becomes impractical. In these cases, use Outlook's rules or filters to catch patterns instead. For example, if spam is coming from addresses that all contain the word "promo" or end with a certain domain, create a rule that sends anything matching that pattern to Junk automatically.

If you're getting phishing emails or messages that look like they're from your bank or a service you use, don't just block them — report them to Microsoft. Open the email, click the three dots, and select "Report phishing" or "Report junk". This helps Microsoft identify threats and protect other users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block someone without opening their email?

Yes. Right-click on the sender's name or address in your inbox list and select "Block" from the menu. You don't need to open the message first.

Will a blocked sender know I blocked them?

No. Outlook doesn't notify them, and their emails will appear to send normally from their end. They'll only realize something is wrong if they notice you're not responding to their messages.

What's the difference between blocking and deleting an email?

Deleting removes one email. Blocking stops all future emails from that sender from reaching your inbox. If you delete an email but don't block the sender, their next message will still come through normally.

Can I block an entire domain instead of just one email address?

Outlook's block feature works on individual email addresses only. To block all emails from a domain, use Settings > Mail > Rules to create a rule that sends emails from that domain to Junk automatically.

Do blocked senders sync across my devices?

Yes. Your blocked senders list is stored on Microsoft's servers, so if you block someone on your phone, they're blocked on your desktop and web version too.