Every day you must receive hundreds of emails, many of which you do not need or want. Such unrequited emails crowd your inbox, create confusion, and sometimes pose security threats. To maintain a clean and organised inbox, it is important to learn how to block an email address in Gmail. In this blog, we have provided you a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how you can block a sender’s email address and prevent spam or irrelevant content. 


Email blocking in Gmail is the technique that prevents certain addresses or domains from sending emails to your inbox. Emails from a blocked sender are automatically moved to the spam folder. The feature creates a filter for the verification of email addresses so that the messages from the blocked addresses are redirected. 


This is different from unsubscribing, which is for promotional emails, while this in-built feature is for personal and unwanted communications. Blocking a sender on Gmail is a manual process that is permanent unless reversed. The sender would not be notified about the blocking. 


Blocking an Email Address in Gmail Using Desktop 


There are two different methods using which you can block an email address in Gmail. 


Method 1: Blocking Through an Existing Email 


Blocking the sender through an email that they have sent is a quick and easy process. 


Steps involved: 


  • In your preferred web browser, open Gmail.  
  • Navigate to your inbox and find the email whose sender you wish to block. 
  • A click on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the email would reveal a dropdown menu with ‘More Options’ to select from. 
  • Select the option to “Block [sender’s name]”. A popup dialogue would appear. 
  • Confirm the action by clicking on “Block”. 

After this, the email would be sent to spam immediately, and Gmail will prevent messages from this sender in the future. 


Method 2: Block Through the Gmail Settings 


The Gmail settings panel offers more extensive blocking options. 


Steps involved: 


  • Click on the gear icon on the top-right corner of Gmail. 
  • A drop-down menu would appear. Select the “See all settings” option. 
  • Move to the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab. 
  • Click on the “Create a new filter” button. 
  • Fill in the details for advanced filtering options.  

Blocking an Email Address in Gmail on Mobile Devices 


For Android and iOS Users 


The mobile interface allows a similar process that has been touch-optimised. 


Steps involved: 


  • Open the Gmail app on your smartphone. 
  • Open the email from the unwanted sender. 
  • Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner. 
  • Select “Block [sender’s name]” from the options. 
  • Tap on “Block” to confirm blocking. 

Gmail automatically syncs the blocking preferences across all platforms and devices.  


Managing the Blocked Addresses in Gmail 


Gmail facilitates the reviewing and management of blocked addresses through “settings.”  


Steps Involved: 


  • Access the Gmail settings through the gear icon. 
  • Move to the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab. 
  • Scroll down to the section for “Blocked Addresses”. 
  • You will find a list of all the blocked email addresses. 
  • Select the “Unblock” option next to the address that you wish to remove from the list.  

For blocking domains, you can utilise the filter creation technique. It is important to understand that the blocking system in Gmail is permanent unless reversed manually. Therefore, Gmail offers temporary solutions called “Mute,” which puts the conversation thread on silent instead of redirecting the mails. 


Best Practices to Keep Your Gmail Inbox Clean 


Best Practices to Keep Your Gmail Inbox Clean 

After learning how to block an email address in Gmail, you can further organise your Gmail inbox through the following practices: 


  • Report spammy or suspicious emails using the “Report spam” option on the drop-down menu. 
  • Use filters to segment emails or auto-delete them.  
  • Regularly review the Spam folder. 

Conclusion 


Learning how to block an email address in Gmail enables you to maintain a clean inbox and prevent unwanted communications. The process is simple and easy to follow, irrespective of the platform that you are using to access Gmail. Regular maintenance of the inbox improves productivity and reduces digital clutter, making it easier for you to browse through your mail. Gmail’s blocking feature is reversible only through manual intervention. So, regularly review your filters and blocked addresses, and adopt the “mute” feature for a temporary solution.