How to Block an Email Address in Gmail (and Its Limits)
Blocking sends a sender’s future mail to Spam. It does not stop them from using a new address.
By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 22, 2026In Gmail, open a message from the sender, click More next to Reply and choose Block. Google says all future emails from that sender then go to Spam. You can unblock the same way, or from Settings, See all settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses. Blocking works one address at a time, so it will not stop a sender who switches addresses, and for newsletters you signed up to, unsubscribing is the better route.
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Most unwanted email can be cut down with one click in Gmail. Blocking is the right tool for a person or sender you never signed up with. It is the wrong tool for a newsletter you once subscribed to, and it has limits worth knowing before you rely on it.
Block a sender on a computer
Google’s help page gives these steps. Open Gmail, then open a message from the sender. Click the More icon near the top right, next to Reply, and choose the option that reads Block followed by the sender’s name.
After you block a sender, Google says all future emails from them go to Spam. The page does not say whether messages already in your inbox are moved, so check and delete those yourself.
Block a sender on a phone
Google’s page also has Android and iPhone instructions. Menu labels change between app versions, so follow the labels you see in the app rather than a fixed path.
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Where to find your blocked list
On a computer, open Settings at the top right, choose See all settings, then open the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab. To unblock someone, tick the box next to each sender and click Unblock selected addresses.
Google says that when you unblock a sender, all future emails from them go to your inbox again. If you cannot find the sender’s message, this settings page is the way to unblock them.
Block, unsubscribe or report?
- Block a person or a sender you never signed up with and do not want to hear from again.
- Unsubscribe from newsletters and promotions. Google’s page suggests unsubscribing for mail you do not want to block.
- Report spam if junk still reaches your inbox, and report phishing if a message asks for personal information.
What blocking does not do
- It works on a sender. Google’s page describes blocking one sender and does not describe blocking a whole domain.
- It does not follow a person who writes from a new address or a look-alike address.
- It does not explain why the sender has your address. Spam often starts when an address appears in a breach or a marketing list.
If the same senders keep finding you
Check whether your address has leaked, then consider giving each website its own alias so a leak is easy to trace and shut off. See our guides on email aliases and Gmail plus addresses.
A note on harassment
Google’s page notes that using Gmail to harass, intimidate or threaten someone breaks its Program Policies. If you feel you are in danger, it advises contacting your local authorities right away.
Sources
- Google: Block or unblock an email address in Gmail (steps, blocked list, Spam behaviour, unsubscribe advice, policy note)
Frequently asked questions
Where do blocked emails go?
Google says all future emails from a blocked sender go to Spam.
How do I unblock someone in Gmail?
Open a message from them and choose Unblock, or open Settings, See all settings, Filters and Blocked Addresses, tick the sender and click Unblock selected addresses.
Can I block a whole domain?
Google’s page describes blocking a sender, not a domain, so plan on blocking one address at a time.
Should I block or unsubscribe?
Unsubscribe from newsletters you signed up to. Block senders you never asked to hear from.
What if spam keeps arriving?
Report it as spam, and check whether your address has appeared in a data breach.
See if your email has already leaked
- Checks your email against known data breaches
- Shows which sites leaked it, when, and what leaked
- We do not store the email you check
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