Effortless Ways to Block Email on Mac

Mac computers, known for their sleek design and robust security features, are not immune to the challenges of spam emails. The rise in unwanted messages has left many Mac users seeking efficient ways to stop these intrusions across various platforms. Understanding how to block an email address on a Mac is more crucial than ever as email spamming continues to escalate.

In response to this growing concern, this article provides a comprehensive guide on blocking unwanted emails effortlessly on your Mac. Whether you're dealing with persistent spam or simply looking to optimize your inbox, these strategies will help you maintain control over your digital correspondence, enhancing your overall Mac experience.

How to Block Emails in Apple Mail

Mastering how to block emails on your Mac is a straightforward process, especially when using Apple Mail, the default desktop email client. There are various methods to suit different needs, ranging from immediate blocking to more advanced settings management.

Way 1: Block a Sender without Opening their Message

Use this method if you're certain a sender is spamming and you don't want to open their message. Here’s how to block spam emails on Mac directly from your inbox:

Open the Mail app on your Mac.
In your Inbox, locate a message from the sender you want to stop from emailing you.
Secondary click (right-click) on the message.
From the context menu, select the Block Contact option.

Way 2: Block a Sender after Reading their Message

This method is suitable if you're unsure about a sender and want to review their message before blocking:

Open the Mail app on your Mac.
Select and open a message from the sender. Take a moment to review the email to decide if you need to filter it out.
Hover your cursor over the sender's name in the message header.
Click the arrow that appears, and select Block Contact.

A Blocked icon will then show up next to the sender’s name in your message list, and their messages will be marked with a banner indicating that they have been blocked.

Way 3: Advanced Blocking Method

This method is perfect for users who want full control over blocked senders:

Open the Mail app on your Mac.
In the top menu bar, select Mail.
From the drop-down menu, choose Settings.

From the drop-down menu, choose Settings

In the pop-up window, navigate to the top-right and click the Junk Mail tab.
Click on Blocked.
Add email addresses to the block list by clicking the + button.

Add email addresses to the block list by clicking the + button

To avoid seeing messages from blocked senders in your inbox, under When email from blocked address arrives, select Move it to the Trash.

💡 Note: If you want to block emails on Mac from the iCloud website, follow our guide on how the iCloud block email feature works.

How to Unblock Email Senders on Mac

To unblock senders in the Mail app on your Mac, first select a message from the sender you wish to unblock. Then, hover your cursor over their name in the message header, click the arrow that appears, and select Unblock Contact.

Additionally, you can remove senders from your blocked list by going to Mail → Settings, clicking on Junk Mail, and then selecting Blocked.

Block Emails on Mac Across Providers with Clean Email

While traditional methods of blocking emails on Mac can be effective, they often lack the versatility and ease to seamlessly handle multiple service providers. This is where Clean Email steps in as a robust solution. It offers a more comprehensive approach to email management, regardless of the platform or service you're using.

Moreover, you can start using Clean Email for free and explore the features of this email organizer for Mac. Up next, we'll guide you through the straightforward steps to stop unwanted emails on your Mac using Clean Email.

Here’s how to block an email on Mac with this app:

Go to: https://app.clean.email or download the app for your Mac, and sign in with your mailbox.
Open your Inbox, select and open the email from the individual you wish to stop.
In the top right corner, under Sender Settings, click on the Block option.

Automatically block incoming emails with Clean Email

In the window that appears, select the option to Move existing messages to Trash if you want, and then click Confirm.

From then on, any new messages from that sender will be directly moved to the Trash folder.

If you're dealing with spam emails from the same domain, Clean Email can block the entire domain for you too.

Here's a simple guide to auto-block emails from a specific domain on Mac with Clean Email:

Launch Clean Email and navigate to the Auto Clean section in the left-hand menu. Click the + icon at the top.

Automatic rules with feature Auto Clean in Clean Email

Name your new rule and select the option for Any sender or recipients.
Choose Sender Domain from the dropdown menu. Type in the domain name, then select it from the results shown.
Opt for the Trash action to prevent any messages from this domain.
To apply this rule to existing messages in your inbox, toggle the switch below the Trash action.
Hit Create Rule to finalize your settings.

Select Sender Domain from the dropdown menu

Alongside its email-blocking capabilities, Clean Email also features advanced filters and automation options that facilitate easy management of your emails and quick unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters, helping to keep your inbox tidy and organized. Find more comprehensive details about these features at the end of this article.

Blocking Emails on Mac Through Your Webmail Service

In case you prefer managing your emails through a webmail service rather than a desktop email client for Mac, we have created instructions for the most popular mail providers.

How to Block Emails on iMac If You Use Gmail

If you are using Gmail, here is how to block emails on Gmail when using a Mac and move all future messages you receive from the address to the Spam folder:

Log in to your Gmail account.
Select and open a message from the sender you wish to restrict.
Find and click More (three vertical dots next to the Reply button) and choose Block [sender’s name].

A confirmation pop-up will ask if you want to Block the sender's address and direct future messages from them to the Spam folder. Confirm by clicking Block.

A message will then display, confirming that the sender has been successfully blocked.

If you choose to unblock a sender on Gmail later, you may open any of their messages, click More, and then select Unblock [sender’s name]. In case you don't have any messages from that sender anymore, go to Settings (the gear icon), choose See all settings, navigate to Filters and Blocked Addresses, locate the address you wish to unblock, and click the Unblock link next to it.

How to Block Emails on a Mac if You Use Outlook

If Outlook is your preferred email provider, here are a few simple steps on how to block emails on Outlook when using a Mac:

Open your Inbox at https://outlook.live.com/.
Select a message from the sender you wish to restrict, then click on More options (three horizontal dots) in the top toolbar and select Block.

Click OK to confirm your decision.

📌 Important: If you are using the Outlook app for Mac, the actions to block an unwanted user remain the same.

To adjust your blocked senders list and unblock email addresses on Outlook, click the Settings gear icon, navigate to Mail, and select the Junk email option. Here, you can easily add senders and domains to your blocked and allowed lists.

How to Block Emails on Mac if You Use Yahoo

Yahoo allows you to block up to 500 addresses. Blocking an address on Yahoo automatically sends all its messages to the Spam folder.

Follow these steps to block emails in Yahoo on your Mac:

Sign in to your Yahoo account.
Click on the Settings icon, then select More Settings.

In the left pane, click Security and privacy.
Next to Blocked addresses, click Add.
In the 'Add an email address to block' field, enter the desired address.
Click Save.

To unblock an email address on Yahoo, return to the Blocked Addresses section and select the sender you wish to unblock.

Limitations of Email Blocking on Mac

While learning how to block email on Mac is useful, it's important to understand its limitations. Firstly, blocking a sender does not remove their previous messages from your inbox. Also, you restrict their mail address, not the individual. This means they can still contact you using a different address.

Additionally, while most service providers on Mac allow the blocking of specific addresses, this approach often proves ineffective against spam. Spammers tend to frequently change their email addresses, reducing the effectiveness of individual address blocking. However, if a sender inundates you with emails from various addresses within the same domain, you can block the entire domain using Clean Email, as previously outlined.

In some cases, you might not even need to block emails; learning how to unsubscribe from emails can be a powerful tool against spammy newsletters and mailing lists you're no longer interested in. Read on to discover how Clean Email can assist you in this process.

What Else Clean Email Has to Offer

Unsubscribing from newsletters becomes exceptionally easy with Clean Email. It allows you to conveniently opt out of multiple senders at once, saving you significant time and effort, particularly when dealing with numerous subscription emails.

Simply click the Unsubscribe button, and Clean Email takes care of the rest, following the unsubscribe links and completing any necessary forms or actions for you. This approach makes the process of unsubscribing straightforward and hassle-free.

Unsubscribe from emails with Clean Email

Another effective strategy for managing spam is to stop it from entering your inbox altogether. Wondering if that's truly possible? With the Screener feature of the Clean Email app, you can easily prevent spam senders from infiltrating your inbox.

Here's how to set it up:

Open the Clean Email app and navigate to the Screener tab.
Turn the tool on by clicking the toggle in the upper left corner or by selecting the Enable Screener button.

To confirm, switch on the I understand toggle and then click Continue. Finalize the process by selecting Enable Screener.
The Screener tool automatically reviews emails from new senders, giving you the option to approve or block them. To restrict unwanted contact, simply click the Block button next to the sender's name, and future messages from them will be sent directly to your Trash folder.

Stop spam emails with Screener feature in Clean Email

Another unique feature of Clean Email is Smart Folders, which are predefined filters that automatically group your messages. With categories such as 'Top senders', 'Online shopping', 'Productivity tools', and many others, Smart Folders help you keep your inbox organized and simplify the task of finding the emails you need.

Additionally, Clean Email provides tailored suggestions to help declutter your inbox with its Cleaning Suggestions feature. These recommendations are tailored based on the types of emails you often clean and patterns seen in other users’ interactions. With just one click, you can apply these suggestions to similar messages, enhancing the efficiency of your inbox organization.

Cleaning Suggestions feature in Clean Email

Furthermore, know that your data is secure since Clean Email is committed to security and privacy; your information will never be shared, sold, analyzed, 'anonymized,' or used beyond the essential functionality of the app.

Conclusion

Several prominent email providers allow you to block unwanted emails on your Mac and prevent them from reaching your inbox; however, some services make this process more difficult than others. Clean Email, however, can arrange all of your mail with a few clicks and apply complicated automation rules just as effortlessly regardless of the email service you use.

For more insights, check out our articles on how to block emails on iPhone and how to block emails on Android.

How to Block Emails on Mac - FAQs

How do I block unwanted emails on my Mac?

To block unwanted emails on a Mac, the steps vary based on your service provider. Typically, in the Mail app, select a message from the sender, click the arrow next to their name in the message header, and select 'Block Contact.' For more advanced options, consider using email management tools like Clean Email.

How do I permanently block an email address?

If you have blocked a sender but continue to receive similar messages, it likely means they have changed their email address. In this case, you should block their domain name instead of individual addresses. To block the domain name, use Clean Email’s Auto Clean feature by following the instructions provided in this article.

How do you block someone on Mac?

To block someone on your Mac, open the Mail app, access the Rules section in Preferences, and set up a new rule to automatically delete messages from the desired sender. This method effectively blocks the sender by ensuring their emails are not seen in your inbox.

Why am I still getting emails from Blocked senders in Mac Mail?

If you're still receiving emails from blocked senders in Mac Mail, it could be due to the way Mac Mail handles blocked addresses, which might not always stop emails from coming through. It's recommended to check your Mail settings and ensure that the blocked addresses are correctly added to the list, or consider additional filtering options for more effective blocking.

How To Block Emails On Mac: A Full Guide