How to block emails on Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo and iPhone
Here is how to block emails from a person or company you never want to hear from again, on each of the big mail services. Blocking takes about ten seconds. What catches people out is what happens afterwards: the sender isn't told, and their messages aren't refused. They are quietly moved to spam or trash on your side.
How to block emails on Gmail
On a computer
- Open a message from the sender.
- Click the three dots at the top right of the message.
- Choose Block "sender name".
On iPhone or Android
Open the email in the Gmail app, tap the three dots beside the sender's name (not the ones at the very top of the screen) and tap Block.
Future mail from that address goes straight to Spam, where it is deleted after 30 days. To undo it, go to Settings > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses and click Unblock.
How to block emails on Outlook
- Outlook.com and new Outlook: right-click the message, choose Block > Block sender.
- Classic Outlook for Windows: right-click the message, choose Junk > Block Sender.
- Manage the list: Settings > Mail > Junk email > Blocked senders and domains. You can add or remove addresses here without needing an email from them.
Blocked mail lands in the Junk Email folder.
How to block emails on Yahoo Mail
- Open the email and click the three dots above it.
- Choose Block senders, tick the address and confirm.
You can also add addresses by hand in Settings > More Settings > Security and privacy > Blocked addresses. Yahoo deletes blocked mail before it reaches any folder, so you won't find it in Spam.
How to block emails on iPhone and iPad
- Open the email in the Mail app.
- Tap the sender's name at the top, then tap it again to open the contact card.
- Tap Block this Contact.
By default Apple Mail only marks blocked mail and leaves it in the inbox. To get rid of it, open Settings > Apps > Mail > Blocked Sender Options and choose Move to Trash. The same block also applies to that contact's calls and messages if the contact card includes their phone number.
How to block a whole domain
When a company writes from a dozen different addresses, block everything after the @ sign.
- Gmail: click the filter icon in the search bar, type
@example.comin the From field, click Create filter and tick Delete it. - Outlook.com: in Blocked senders and domains, add
example.com. - Yahoo: create a filter (Settings > More Settings > Filters) where "From contains example.com" and send it to Trash.
Don't block large shared domains such as gmail.com or outlook.com this way, or you will lose mail from everyone who uses them.
What the sender sees when you block them
Nothing. No bounce, no notice, no "blocked" status. Their email sends normally from their side. This is deliberate: it stops harassers and spammers from learning that they need a new address. It also means that blocking is not proof that you asked someone to stop, so if you are being harassed, save copies of the messages before you block.
Block, unsubscribe or report spam?
| Situation | Best action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A newsletter from a real company | Unsubscribe | Removes you from the list at the source |
| A person you don't want to hear from | Block | There is no list to leave |
| Junk from unknown senders | Report spam | Trains the filter against similar mail from any address |
| A fake bank, delivery or login email | Report phishing | Warns the provider and protects other people |
The steps for the first and last rows are in how to unsubscribe from emails and how to report phishing emails.
Why blocked emails keep coming
Blocking matches one exact address. Spammers send each batch from a new one, often with a random string before the @, so a block list never catches up. If you have blocked the "same" sender five times, switch tactics:
- Use Report spam instead, so the filter learns the content and not the address.
- Make a filter on a phrase that is always in the subject or body.
- If the flood began suddenly, find out why you are suddenly getting so much spam; your address may have been in a data breach.
Keep your address off the lists to begin with
You can't be spammed at an address you never handed over. For one-off sign-ups, downloads and discount codes, use a temporary email address and keep your real inbox for people and accounts that matter.
Common questions
Can I block emails without opening them?
Yes. In Outlook, right-click the message in the list. In Gmail, tick the box beside it and use the three-dot menu to filter messages like it, or add the address under Filters and Blocked Addresses.
Does blocking delete old emails from that sender?
No. Only new messages are affected. Search for the address and delete the old ones yourself.
Can a blocked sender still see my email address?
Yes. Blocking changes what you receive. It doesn't remove your address from their contacts or lists.