What happens to a blocked email?

Answered by Michael Wilson

When you block an email address, it means that you no longer want to receive any messages from that particular sender. However, the way in which blocked emails are handled can vary depending on the email service or program you are using.

In most cases, when you block an email address, any incoming messages from that sender will be automatically redirected to your Junk Email folder. This folder acts as a spam filter, where potentially unwanted or suspicious emails are stored. By moving blocked emails to this folder, your email provider helps to protect you from any potential harm or annoyance caused by these messages.

It’s important to note that blocking an email address does not prevent the person from sending you emails. They can still attempt to contact you, but their messages will not directly reach your inbox. Instead, they will be filtered into the Junk Email folder. This can be useful in situations where you want to maintain a record of the sender’s communication attempts while keeping your inbox free from their messages.

However, it’s worth mentioning that some email providers also offer an option to completely block a sender, which goes beyond simply redirecting their messages to the Junk Email folder. When you choose to completely block someone, their emails will not be delivered to your account at all. This can be a more effective way of ensuring that you never see any messages from that sender.

In addition to being redirected to the Junk Email folder, some email services may also have an additional layer of protection called End-User Quarantine. This feature is typically enabled by administrators and acts as an extra level of filtering for potentially harmful or unwanted emails. If End-User Quarantine is enabled, any blocked emails that make it past the initial spam filter will be held in quarantine, preventing them from reaching your inbox or even the Junk Email folder. You may need to contact your email administrator to access and review these quarantined messages.

It’s worth noting that the effectiveness of blocking emails can vary depending on the email service or program you are using. While most email providers have robust spam filters in place, some senders may still find ways to bypass these filters and reach your inbox. In such cases, it may be necessary to mark these emails as spam manually or report them to your email provider for further investigation.

When you block an email address, the blocked person can still send you mail, but their messages are typically redirected to your Junk Email folder. Depending on your email service, you may also have the option to completely block a sender, preventing their emails from reaching your account altogether. It’s important to regularly review your Junk Email folder to ensure that legitimate messages are not being filtered out and to report any persistent unwanted senders to your email provider.