How to Block An Email Address

We all receive emails in our inbox every day that we don’t want. This guide will show you how to block an email address from unwanted senders through various email providers including Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and iCloud Mail. It will also explain how you can use Leave Me Alone’s email unsubscription and Inbox Shield tools to help you manage your inbox and control who can contact you.

When To Unsubscribe And When To Block?

While unsubscribing and blocking emails should give you the same end result, they serve different purposes. Blocking emails aims to stop specific senders by diverting their messages straight into your SPAM or Trash folders. However, if you’re looking to stop a newsletter sender from reaching you, blocking them won’t remove you from their mailing list; the emails just won’t reach your inbox anymore.

Whenever unwanted mail involves a mailing list subscription, you should be able to easily unsubscribe by following an unsubscribe link in the email. The Leave Me Alone unsubscribe tool is a handy service that enables you to easily unsubscribe from multiple email senders/mailing lists under one dashboard, saving time, especially when dealing with numerous subscription emails you’d like to clear out.

How To Block An Email Address On Gmail

To block an email sender on Gmail, follow the instructions below, which will automatically filter any messages they send you straight into the SPAM folder:

Open a browser, head to Gmail and log in.
Open a message from the unwanted sender.
In the top right, click ‘More’ (three dots stacked).
Click ‘Block [sender]’.

To unblock a sender on Gmail, log into your account as above and head to ‘Settings’ > ‘Filters & Blocked Addresses’. This will show any filters or blocking you have already set up, from here you can remove the ones you no longer need.

How To Block An Email Address On Yahoo

To block an email sender on Yahoo, follow these steps, where you can add up to 1000 email addresses to your blocked list, diverting emails from those senders straight into your SPAM folder:

Open a browser, head to Yahoo, and log in.
Click the ‘Settings’ icon (cog) and click ‘More Settings’ (three dots in a line).
Click ‘Security and Privacy’.
Under ‘Blocked Addresses’, select the ‘Add’ button.
Type the email address you are wanting to block.
Click ‘Save’.

To unblock an email address in Yahoo, follow the same steps as above to get to ‘Security and Privacy’, from here move your cursor to the email address you want to unblock and click the ‘Delete’ icon.

How To Block An Email Address On Outlook

To block an email sender in Outlook, follow these steps, where blocked emails are automatically moved to the Junk Email folder:

Open Outlook.
Select ‘Settings’ (cog), then ‘Mail’, and ‘Junk email’
Enter the email address in ‘Blocked senders’ and select ‘Add’. If you want to block all emails from a particular domain, enter the domain name in ‘Blocked domains’ and select ‘Add’.
Select ‘Save’.

To unblock an email sender you’ve accidentally added to this list, go back to ‘Settings’, ‘Mail’, and then ‘Junk email’. Select the address or domain you want to unblock and click the ‘Delete’ icon.

Please note that on Outlook, emails in the Junk Email folder are automatically removed after 14 days and will not be recoverable.

How To Block An Email Address On iCloud Mail

To block an email sender in iCloud Mail, follow these steps, where you can choose what to do with the blocked mail, including sending it directly to your trash folder:

Head to the iCloud website and sign in to your account.
Select ‘Mail’ to open iCloud Mail.
Select the small gear icon on the left and choose ‘Settings’.
Navigate to ‘Rules’ and select ‘Add New Rule’.
In the ‘Message’ dropdown menu, select ‘Is From’ and add the email address you’d like to block.
In the ‘Action’ dropdown menu, select ‘Move To Trash’, and then click ‘Add’.
Repeat this process for all senders you would like to block going forward.

To unblock a sender in iCloud Mail, go to the ‘Rules’ section and remove or change the rule associated with that sender. If you’re looking for more information on how to block emails on iCloud using iPhone or Android we have a more extensive guide here.

Use Leave Me Alone To Remove Risk Of Future Unwanted Emails

Third-party services like Leave Me Alone provide a simpler solution to the issue of unwanted emails and the urge to block senders. Leave Me Alone helps you clean up and maintain your inbox by providing a dashboard that shows all the newsletters you’re receiving and enabling easy unsubscribes with one simple click.

The best part of the Leave Me Alone service is that you don’t need to navigate various blocking processes depending on the email provider. You can add an unlimited number of email addresses to your Leave Me Alone account, and the dashboard will show all your email senders from every address in one place to enable you to unsubscribe.

For email senders you cannot unsubscribe from, we recommend using the Leave Me Alone Inbox Shield. Leave Me Alone has custom and built-in blocklists that you can activate, helping you block SPAM, social media, and cold emails with precision.

FAQs

What happens when you block an email address?

The action taken with emails from your blocked senders depends on the email provider. Most email providers will automatically filter the blocked mail directly into your SPAM or Trash folders. It will not unsubscribe you from a mailing list.

Where do blocked emails go?

You will find your blocked mail in your SPAM or Trash folder depending on the email provider. However, remember that these messages will often be stored for a finite period (often between 14-30 days) before being automatically deleted.

How to unblock an email address?

Every email provider gives you the option to unblock an email address you have accidentally blocked. Instructions are provided above on how to unblock senders depending on the platform.

Why do I still receive emails from a blocked sender?

Some SPAM senders will use multiple email addresses that look similar to reach you, which might be why you are still receiving emails from them. By identifying the root domain of the sender and blocking that domain, you should be able to block all future correspondence.

Summary

In summary, managing unwanted emails and blocking troublesome senders is a crucial aspect of maintaining a clean and efficient inbox. Whether you're using Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or iCloud Mail, knowing how to block and unblock email addresses is a useful tool.

Third-party services like Leave Me Alone offer a streamlined solution by providing a centralized dashboard for managing subscriptions and enabling easy unsubscribes with a single click. Additionally, the Inbox Shield feature offers an extra level of protection, preventing future unwanted emails from reaching your inbox going forward.

By leveraging these tools and strategies, you can take control of your inbox, reduce clutter, and improve your overall email productivity. So, whether you're inundated with promotional emails or dealing with persistent spam, take charge of your email management and enjoy a more organized digital experience.