An inbox full of the same unwanted sender is easy to fix in Apple Mail. On a modern Mac you have three levels of control: a fast one-click block, a durable setting that dumps their mail straight into the Trash, and a Rule for spammers who keep switching addresses. Here is all three, in order of effort.
Method 1: Block a sender in one click (fastest)
- Open the Mail app and select a message from the person you want to block.
- Move your pointer next to their name in the message header, click the small arrow that appears, then choose Block Contact.
A blocked icon now appears next to that sender in your message list, and a banner is added to their messages. Even faster: right-click the message in your inbox and pick Block Contact without opening it. By default this just marks their mail as blocked but still leaves it in your inbox — to make blocking actually clear your inbox, use Method 2.
Method 2: Send blocked mail straight to the Trash (durable)
This is the setting most people actually want. It tells Mail what to do with mail from anyone you have blocked.
- In Mail, choose Mail > Settings from the menu bar.
- Click Junk Mail, then click Blocked.
- Under When email from a blocked address arrives, select Move it to the Trash (instead of “Leave it in my inbox”).
- To add a sender by hand, click the + button and type their email address.
Now anything from a blocked address skips your inbox entirely. This persists even after you delete their old messages, which the one-click block on its own does not.
Method 3: Build a Rule for a spammer who keeps changing addresses
Blocking works per address. If a spammer rotates addresses but keeps the same subject line or domain, a Rule is stronger. In Mail, choose Mail > Settings > Rules > Add Rule, set a condition like From contains the spam domain (or Subject contains a repeated phrase), and set the action to Move Message > Trash. Our full walkthrough of this is in how to set up Rules and Smart Mailboxes in Mail on Mac.
How to unblock a sender later
- Select a message from the sender (or open Mail > Settings > Junk Mail > Blocked).
- Move your pointer next to their name, click the arrow, then choose Unblock Contact — or in the Blocked list, select the address and click the − button.
Keep the junk filter on too
Blocking handles specific people; the junk filter handles the rest. Choose Mail > Settings > Junk Mail and make sure Enable junk mail filtering is on. Every time you mark a message as junk or not junk, the filter gets smarter.
FAQ
Does blocking a sender delete their old emails?
No. Blocking only affects new mail. Your existing messages from that sender stay put until you delete them.
Blocked mail still shows up — why?
The one-click block only marks the mail unless you also set Mail > Settings > Junk Mail > Blocked to Move it to the Trash (Method 2). Set that once and blocked mail leaves your inbox for good.
The sender came back from a new address. Now what?
Blocking is per address, so a new address slips through. Block the new one too, or use a Rule (Method 3) that matches their domain or subject line instead of a single address. For iCloud accounts, server-side rules at iCloud.com are the most permanent option.
Is my Mac too slow to keep up with a full inbox?
If Mail feels sluggish on an older Mac, a faster machine helps more than any setting. We sell refurbished Macs that handle a heavy inbox with ease — see our Apple clearance deals, or trade in your old Mac toward an upgrade.
More Apple Mail guides: add an email signature · schedule (send later) an email · unsend an email · Rules and Smart Mailboxes. All guides →