How to Block Emails in Outlook

Emails play a crucial role in daily communication, both personal and professional. However, not all emails are welcome or useful. Unwanted emails, often referred to as spam, clutter our inboxes and waste our time. Luckily, Microsoft Outlook has a built-in feature that allows users to block and filter unwanted emails. In this article, we will guide you on how to block emails in Outlook effectively.

Step 1: Open Outlook and Access the Inbox
To begin the process of blocking emails, open Microsoft Outlook and navigate to your inbox. This is where you will find all the emails you have received.

Step 2: Identify the Unwanted Email
Scroll through your inbox and identify the email or sender that you wish to block. This could be an email address, a domain name, or even specific keywords in the subject or body of the email. Once identified, right-click on the email you want to block.

Step 3: Access the Junk Email Options
After right-clicking on the unwanted email, a drop-down menu will appear. From this menu, select the “Junk” or “Junk Email” option. This will open a sub-menu with several choices. Choose the “Block Sender” or “Add Sender to Blocked Senders List” option.

Step 4: Confirm the Blocking
Upon selecting the “Block Sender” or equivalent option, a confirmation window will pop up, asking if you want to block the sender. Review the information to ensure you are blocking the correct email address or sender. If everything looks accurate, click “OK” to proceed.

Step 5: Block Based on Subject or Body Content
If you want to block emails based on specific keywords in the subject or body of the email, instead of blocking the sender directly, you can use Outlook’s built-in filtering rules. To access this feature, go to the “Home” tab, click on “Junk” in the ribbon, and select “Junk Email Options.” In the options window, navigate to the “Blocked Senders” or “Blocked Keywords” tab, and add the desired keywords or phrases.

Step 6: Check the Blocked Senders List
To ensure that the email address or sender is successfully blocked, go to the “Home” tab, click on “Junk” in the ribbon, and select “Junk Email Options.” In the options window, navigate to the “Blocked Senders” tab. Here, you will find a list of all the senders you have blocked. You can also remove any blocked senders from this list if needed.

Step 7: Adjust Junk Email Settings
If you find that certain emails are still getting through, even after blocking specific senders or keywords, you may need to adjust Outlook’s junk email settings. Go to the “Home” tab, click on “Junk” in the ribbon, and select “Junk Email Options.” Here, you can customize the level of junk email protection, review the Safe Senders list, and modify other spam filtering settings.

By following these steps, you can effectively block unwanted emails in Microsoft Outlook. Remember to periodically review your blocked senders list and adjust the settings as needed. Outlook’s blocking feature can significantly enhance your email experience by minimizing distractions and ensuring your inbox remains clutter-free.