Blocking a sender stops their emails from reaching your inbox

When you block someone on Gmail, their messages go straight to spam and you will not see notifications for them. You can block a person, a group email address, or an entire domain. The block stays in place until you remove it — the blocked sender does not know they are blocked, and Gmail does not notify them.

Blocking is different from unsubscribing. Unsubscribe removes you from a mailing list the sender controls. Blocking prevents any email from that address from appearing in your inbox, whether it is a mailing list or a person sending you messages directly.

Key Takeaways

  • Open an email from the sender you want to block, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender name]" to block them in seconds.
  • Blocked emails land in your spam folder automatically, and you can view them there if you need to check what they sent.
  • You can block an entire domain (like @company.com) to stop all emails from that organization, not just one person.
  • Unblock someone by finding their email in spam, opening it, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting "Unblock [sender name]".
  • Blocking works the same way on Gmail's website, the Gmail app on Android, and the Gmail app on iPhone.

Block someone from an open email

The fastest way to block is to open an email from the person you want to block. Look for the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the email. Click it.

A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Select "Block [sender name]" — Gmail fills in the actual name or email address. Click it, and the block takes effect when ready. That sender's future emails will go to spam.

Block someone from your inbox list

You do not have to open an email to block the sender. In your inbox, hover your mouse over an email from the person you want to block. Three icons will appear on the right side of that email row: an archive icon, a delete icon, and a three-dot menu icon. Click the three-dot menu.

Select "Block [sender name]" from the dropdown. The email stays in your inbox, but all future emails from that sender will go to spam. If you want to remove this email from your inbox, you can delete it or archive it separately.

Block an entire email domain

If you want to block all emails from a company or organization, you can block the entire domain instead of one person. Open any email from someone at that domain, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block [sender name]".

After you block the person, go to your Gmail settings. Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Find the block you just created and click "Edit". Change the email address to just the domain — for example, change "john@company.com" to "@company.com". Click "Update filter", and now all emails from anyone at that domain will go to spam.

Find blocked emails in spam

Blocked emails do not disappear — they go to your spam folder. Click "Spam" in the left sidebar to see them. You can read any blocked email if you need to check what someone sent you, but they will not appear in your inbox or trigger notifications.

If you realize you blocked someone by mistake, you can unblock them from the spam folder. Open one of their emails, click the three-dot menu, and select "Unblock [sender name]". Their future emails will go back to your inbox, and you will see notifications for them again.

Unblock someone you blocked before

To unblock someone, you need to find an email from them. Check your spam folder — their emails are there. Open any email from the blocked sender, click the three-dot menu at the top right, and select "Unblock [sender name]".

You can also unblock someone through your Gmail settings. Click the gear icon in the top right, select "See all settings", then click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Scroll down to find the blocked address, click the X next to it, and confirm. That sender's emails will now reach your inbox again.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a sender, Gmail automatically sends their emails to spam. You will not see a notification, and the email will not appear in your inbox. The blocked sender can still send you messages — they just will not know whether you received them or read them.

Blocking does not delete old emails from that sender. Emails you received before blocking them stay in your inbox or archive. Only new emails from the blocked sender go to spam. If you want to remove old emails from that person, you can search for them and delete them separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them on Gmail?

No. When you block someone, they can still send you emails, but they will not receive any notification that you blocked them. Gmail does not tell them their message went to spam or that you viewed it. They may eventually realize something is wrong if you stop responding, but Gmail itself does not inform them.

What is the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?

Unsubscribe removes you from a mailing list — it tells the sender's system to stop sending you messages. Blocking prevents any email from that address from reaching your inbox, regardless of whether the sender controls a mailing list. Use unsubscribe for newsletters and marketing emails; use block for unwanted personal messages or harassment.

If I block someone, do their old emails disappear?

No. Blocking only affects new emails from that sender. Old emails from them stay in your inbox or archive unless you delete them. Only emails they send after you block them will go to spam. You can search for their old emails and delete them if you want to remove them.

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

Gmail's block feature works only by sender address or domain. To filter emails by subject line or content, use Gmail's filter feature instead. Go to settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses", then "Create a new filter". You can set rules to send certain emails to spam based on keywords, subject lines, or other criteria.

Does blocking on Gmail work on my phone?

Yes. On the Gmail app for Android or iPhone, open an email from the sender you want to block, tap the three-dot menu at the top, and select "Block [sender name]". The process is the same as on a computer, and the block applies across all your devices.