Blocking a person on Gmail stops their emails from reaching your inbox and hides their messages from you

When you block someone in Gmail, their emails go straight to spam and you will not see notifications for them. Any messages they have already sent you remain in your inbox unless you delete them — blocking does not erase past conversations. The person who is blocked does not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may notice their emails are not getting replies.

Blocking works the same way whether the sender is using Gmail or another email service. Once blocked, that person cannot contact you through Gmail, though they could still reach you through other channels like phone or social media. You can unblock someone at any time if you change your mind.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block someone directly from an email they sent you, or by searching for their address in your contacts.
  • Blocked emails arrive in your spam folder automatically, and you will not see them in your inbox or get notifications.
  • Past emails from a blocked person stay in your inbox unless you manually delete them.
  • Blocking someone does not prevent them from sending you messages — it only hides those messages from you.
  • You can unblock a person from the same menu where you blocked them, and their future emails will return to your inbox.

Block someone from an email they sent you

The fastest way to block someone is to open an email from them and use the block option in that message. Open Gmail in your web browser and find an email from the person you want to block. Click on the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the email.

A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Look for the option that says "Block [sender's name]" and click it. Gmail will ask you to confirm — click the button that says "Block" again. The person is now blocked, and their future emails will go to spam.

Block someone using your contacts or settings

If you do not have a recent email from the person, you can block them through Gmail settings. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of Gmail and select "See all settings." Go to the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab.

Scroll down to the section labeled "Blocked addresses" and click "Create a new filter." Type the email address of the person you want to block in the "From" field. Click "Create filter," then check the box next to "Delete it" (or "Skip the inbox" if you prefer to see the messages in spam instead of deleting them automatically). Click "Create filter" to finish.

What happens to emails after you block someone

Once you block a person, their new emails will land in your spam folder. You will not receive notifications for their messages, and they will not appear in your inbox. If you want to check whether someone has tried to contact you after blocking them, you can look in your spam folder — but Gmail does not notify you that blocked messages have arrived.

Emails that the person sent you before you blocked them will stay in your inbox, your sent folder, or wherever you filed them. Blocking only affects new messages going forward. If you want to remove past conversations with this person, you will need to delete those emails manually or archive them.

Unblock someone if you change your mind

You can unblock a person at any time. Go to Gmail settings by clicking the gear icon and selecting "See all settings." Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab and scroll to the "Blocked addresses" section.

Find the email address you want to unblock and click the delete icon (trash can) next to it. Confirm the action. Once unblocked, that person's emails will return to your inbox normally, and you will receive notifications for their messages again.

Blocking on Gmail mobile apps

The Gmail app on your phone works slightly differently than the web version. Open an email from the person you want to block and tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Tap "Block [sender's name]" and confirm. The process is the same as on the web — their future emails will go to spam.

To unblock someone on mobile, you will need to use the web version of Gmail. The mobile app does not have a way to view or manage your blocked addresses list, so go to Gmail in your phone's web browser, follow the steps above to access your blocked addresses, and unblock the person from there.

When blocking is not enough

Blocking prevents someone from reaching you through Gmail, but it does not stop them from creating new email addresses and contacting you again. If someone is harassing you across multiple addresses, you may want to report them to Gmail instead of just blocking individual addresses. Open an email from them, click the three dots, and select "Report phishing" or "Report spam" depending on what they are doing.

If the harassment is severe or threatening, take screenshots of the messages and report them to local law enforcement. Gmail's blocking feature is designed for unwanted email, not for protection from threats. You can also forward threatening messages to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at CyberTipline.org if the sender is a minor or the content involves minors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

No. Gmail does not notify someone when you block them. However, if they are expecting a reply from you and their emails stop reaching you, they may figure out that you blocked them or that something is wrong with their email.

Can I block someone without opening their email?

Yes. Go to Gmail settings, click "Filters and Blocked Addresses," and create a new filter with their email address in the "From" field. You do not need to have received a message from them first.

What if someone blocks me on Gmail?

You will not know for certain that you are blocked. Your emails will appear to send normally, but the person will not see them. If your messages are not getting replies and your emails to that address keep bouncing back, they may have blocked you or closed their account.

Does blocking delete old emails from that person?

No. Blocking only affects new messages. Any emails you received from them before blocking will stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself. You can search for their address and delete past conversations if you want to remove them.

Can I block an entire domain instead of one person?

Yes. In the "Create a new filter" section under "Filters and Blocked Addresses," type the domain in the "From" field using the format @domain.com. All emails from anyone at that domain will be blocked. This is useful if you are receiving spam from a company or organization.