Blocking a sender in Gmail sends future messages from that sender to Spam. It does not prevent the sender from attempting delivery, unsubscribe you from a list, or block every address using the same display name. Confirm the actual sender before applying the control.
Block from an individual message
- In Gmail on a computer, open a message from the sender.
- Beside Reply, open the message’s More menu.
- Choose Block followed by the sender’s name and confirm the address involved.
Use Gmail’s own menu, not a block link inside the email. For a deceptive message asking for credentials or money, phishing reporting may be the more relevant additional action. Avoid replying to the sender to announce the block.
Unblock through the message or settings
If you still have a message from the sender, its More menu can offer Unblock. Alternatively, open Settings, See all settings, then Filters and blocked addresses. Select the intended blocked address and use Unblock selected addresses.
After unblocking a trusted sender, inspect the next expected delivery. If mail still goes to Spam, read the warning and investigate classification or authentication separately. Unblocking should not be presented as a guarantee that every future message bypasses all other protections.
Check the scope and retain essential evidence
Two emails with the same friendly display name can come from different addresses. If unwanted mail continues, compare full addresses before assuming the block failed. A sender using another address may require a separate narrow action.
For legitimate newsletters you no longer want, unsubscribe using a trustworthy built-in control instead of assuming blocking removes the subscription. For abuse or threats, keep evidence required by your organization’s or local reporting process before deleting it.
Review the blocked list periodically when expected mail is missing. Do not add broad Never send it to Spam filters to compensate for an accidental block without removing the actual blocked entry. Avoid country-wide or shared-network blocking for a problem caused by one email address; Gmail’s sender control has a narrower and more understandable effect.
Browse Gmail & Google Account help
References
Reviewed against the linked product guidance, standards, and identified vendor or public-authority guidance on October 29, 2026. Available options and screen labels can vary by account, device, region, and organization policy.