Block a single sender in three steps

Open the email from the person you want to block. Click the three dots (more options) in the top right corner of the message. Select "Block [sender's name]" from the menu that appears.

Gmail will move that sender's future emails to spam automatically. You can unblock them later by going to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses, finding the sender, and clicking "Unblock".

This method works for individual email addresses. If the sender uses multiple addresses or keeps creating new ones, you may need to block each address separately, or use filters instead.

Key Takeaways

  • The three-dot menu on any email lets you block that sender in one click, and their future messages go straight to spam.
  • Blocking a single address does not stop someone who switches to a different email address or domain.
  • Filters let you block patterns — like all mail from a domain, or mail with certain words in the subject line — without blocking individual addresses.
  • Unblocking a sender requires going to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses, not just deleting old emails.
  • Gmail's spam filter catches most unwanted mail before it reaches your inbox, so blocking is most useful for senders the filter misses.

Use filters to block by domain or pattern

If someone keeps emailing you from different addresses, or you want to block all mail from a company domain, use a filter instead. Go to Settings (the gear icon) > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter.

In the "From" field, type what you want to block. You can enter a full email address (person@example.com), a domain only (@example.com), or even a partial match. Click "Create filter" at the bottom.

On the next screen, check "Delete it" or "Skip the inbox (Archive it)" depending on whether you want the mail deleted or just kept out of your inbox. Click "Create filter" again. From that point on, any mail matching that pattern will be handled automatically.

Block mail with specific words or phrases

Filters also work on subject lines and message content. Go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter. Leave the "From" field blank and type your search term in the "Subject" or "Has the words" field instead.

For example, if you receive repeated emails with "Congratulations you won" in the subject, type that phrase in the Subject field. Create the filter and choose to delete or archive those messages. Gmail will catch anything with that exact phrase and handle it automatically.

Be careful with common words — if you filter "order" you might block legitimate receipts. Use specific phrases or combinations of words that are unlikely to appear in mail you actually want.

Understand what blocking actually does

Blocking sends a sender's mail to spam, but it does not prevent them from seeing read receipts if you have them turned on, and it does not notify them that you blocked them. They will not know unless they check whether their emails are bouncing.

Blocked senders can still see your public profile information if you have a Google account with a public profile. If you need stronger privacy, you may need to adjust your Google Account settings separately.

Blocking is permanent until you unblock. If you think you might want to hear from someone again, consider using a filter to archive their mail instead — that keeps it out of your inbox but does not delete it, and you can search for it later.

Recover emails from blocked senders

If you blocked someone by mistake, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Blocked addresses. Find the sender in the list and click "Unblock". Their future emails will go to your inbox normally, but old emails they sent while blocked will still be in spam.

To find those old emails, go to your Spam folder and search for the sender's address. You can move individual emails back to your inbox by opening them and clicking the "Not spam" button, or select multiple emails and move them in bulk.

Report spam and phishing instead of just blocking

If an email looks like a scam, phishing attempt, or spam, click the three dots and select "Report spam" or "Report phishing" instead of just blocking. This tells Gmail's spam filter about the threat, which helps protect all Gmail users.

Reporting is especially important for phishing emails that pretend to be from your bank, a payment service, or a company you use. Gmail uses these reports to improve its filters and catch similar messages before they reach other inboxes.

You can still block the sender after reporting, but reporting first gives Gmail the information it needs to stop that attack at scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them on Gmail?

No, Gmail does not notify senders that they have been blocked. However, if they send you mail and never get a response, they might suspect it. Blocking only affects whether their emails reach your inbox — it does not send them a message or confirmation.

What happens to emails I already received before blocking someone?

Blocking only affects future emails. Messages you already received stay in your inbox unless you delete them or move them to spam manually. If you want to remove old emails from a blocked sender, search for their address in your inbox and delete or archive them yourself.

Can I block an entire domain instead of one person?

Yes, use a filter. Go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a new filter, type @domain.com in the "From" field (replacing "domain.com" with the actual domain), and choose to delete or archive. This blocks all senders from that domain at once.

Will blocking stop someone from seeing my email address?

No. Blocking prevents their emails from reaching your inbox, but they already have your address. If you want to hide your profile or limit who can contact you, adjust your Google Account privacy settings separately from Gmail blocking.

Can I block mail based on attachments or file types?

Gmail filters do not have an option to block based on attachment type. However, Gmail automatically blocks certain file types (like .exe files) for security. If you are receiving unwanted mail with specific attachments, use a filter with keywords from the subject line instead.